


Breaking the Gilded Cage

by CreatureMan88



Series: Breaking the Gilded Cage [1]
Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Action/Adventure, Adventure, Friend Fiction, Friendship, Gardevoir - Freeform, Kirlia - Freeform, Other, Pokemon - Freeform, Pokemon Battle, Pokemon Fanfiction, Pokemon Journey, Talking Pokemon, gallade - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-21
Updated: 2017-03-28
Packaged: 2018-07-25 21:27:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 148,949
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7547800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CreatureMan88/pseuds/CreatureMan88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>For a group of Pokémon living in a constricted land, life had always been relatively well. But when they acquire a book depicting the lore of the Legendary Pokémon, they are soon exposed to the truths of the world.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Getting Acquainted

This is a work of fiction. Any pokémon or anything pokémon related belongs to GameFreak and I do not intend to make a profit off this story.

* * *

 

The day began like any other. Sun rising over the horizon and casting its radiant glow upon the large grassy expanse many have come to know as the Brilliant Meadow and brilliant it was. Grass growing up to half a meter in height and extending as far as the eye could see. Trees growing healthily and en masse, sprouting flowers both common and rare. Small pokémon scurrying along joyfully while birds sang through the sky.

The eye-catch, however, was the path that branched off the meadow, flanked by a network of trees whose branches crisscrossed at the top. Beautiful flowers grew at the base of the trees the further along the path went, feet turning into meters which further turned into kilometers. The long road was currently inhabited by a Togekiss with two Togetic trailing behind it and each one of them were carrying some manner of parcel that hanged from their mouths. As they neared the end of the path, they were greeted by a mysterious but beckoning light. One they see every day of their lives and have long since gotten used to it.

Upon making it to the other side of the light, they were greeted with a different scene altogether. It was a settlement inhabited by a wide array of fairy type pokémon. From their vintage, they could view it in its entirety.

It appeared to be a large circular world, the waters of the ocean resting against its cliff side and extending far beyond the horizon. Its entire inner circumference lined with stone constructs, some of them were the homes of pokémon while others could be considered business set ups. In the center of the land was a plaza where many fairy type pokémon would get together in all kinds of activities. A little to the north of the plaza was a large semicircular building that acted as a training hold which groomed both the current and future generations of the realm's defenders. To the south of the plaza was another semi-circular construct, this one being a facility that educated the young minds of the realm. To the east and west, close to the plaza, were portable stands manned by various pokémon that served as convenience shops that sold all kinds of different things. They seemed to be popular, considering the crowds that were gathered there. The look was completed by the vibrant colors and grassy terrain. Apart from the marked paths there wasn't a single spot not decorated by trees, flowers or even simple grass. Everything flourished. This was their home. This was the Fairy Realm.

After taking in the view, the Togekiss and her Togetic flew down towards their destination; a building north-east of the plaza.

Reaching the ground level and flying through the open doorway, the building revealed itself to be a library. Pokémon were going back and forth between shelves and tables, all of them handling books. Some were workers with the others being visitors. The building was about four meters up to the roof. Bookshelves crammed with all sorts of reading material lined the side and rear walls and tables with corresponding chairs were set up around the room for pokémon to do their reading on.

The Togekiss stopped and hovered in front of a desk that was immediately adjacent to the entrance, now smiling at the librarian, a Floette with a blue flower, that smiled back at her.

"Jubilee." The Floette greeted her, "I see you're back from your errand. I trust things went well?"

The Togekiss now identified as 'Jubilee' nodded her head and dropped her parcel onto the desk, the other two Togetic doing the same. "The trip went off without a hitch. Here are the books you ordered, Miss Flora."

The Floette reached over and unwrapped the packages, revealing three new books, one of them catching Jubilee's eye.

"'History of the Legendary Pantheon'? I didn't think there were pokémon here interesting in reading such a thing."

Flora just gave the Togekiss another smile. "Neither did I actually. I had it specially ordered for one of my more frequent guests. Had an immediate interest in reading it from the moment I told her about it. Always reading, that one. Almost every time I see her. Sometimes she has me order books that were not originally written here, this being one of them." Flora motioned for two Spritzee to take the other two books away for shelving.

"And that's where we come in." Jubilee happily motioned to herself and the two Togetic currently with her. There were actually others. Many others in fact, though a large party wasn't needed for such a simple operation. With her Togetic, Jubilee ran a trade system between the Fairy Realm and the Pokémon Settlement located in the centre of the Pokémon World where all kinds of commerce was carried out. Whenever someone wanted something, they would pay her to make a requisition at the Pokémon Settlement and in a few days the order would come through. They did delivery too. It was a simple system that worked well.

"That's right and your help is greatly appreciated." Seriously, if Jubilee and her flock weren't there to get things done the way they do, things would have been gotten done at a rather slow rate. She had everyone's thanks.

"Think nothing of it. It is my job, after all." Funny, she wasn't modest a second ago... "So, if I may ask, who is the bookworm interested in the lore of legendary pokémon?"

The librarian smiled brightly and motioned behind Jubilee, "There she is now."

Jubilee and her company turned around to see a Kirlia walking into the library with a small bag draped over her left shoulder and hanging by her right hip. There were two things that separated her from other Kirlia, though. One was the cute red ribbon that was wrapped neatly around her left horn. The other more obvious one was her different coloration. She had blue legs, blue hair and had amber eyes and horns. She was what many would call a 'shiny' pokémon. The actual term was 'alternate colored' but no one calls it that.

The Kirlia stopped and bowed respectfully to the Togekiss and Floette. "Good morning, Miss Jubilee and Miss Flora." She spoke with a demure voice.

"Good morning Angel." The addressed pokémon chorused. "Feeling well this morning?" Jubilee continued.

"Fine, thank you." She replied before addressing Flora directly. "Um... Was the book I ordered able to come through?" She spoke with a reserved tone.

"Right here." Flora held up the brand new copy of 'History of the Legendary Pantheon'.

Upon seeing the book, the Kirlia's mood immediately brightened and she begun spinning around. "Yes, yes! That's it!" Angel quickly reached into her bag and pulled out a few colored shards. Valuable stones that could be used as currency. Angel then approached the desk and paid the borrowing fee for the week. "Thank you, Miss Flora!" Book now in hand, the Kirlia turned to make her leave before suddenly remembering something.

"Oh! Also many thanks to you, Miss Jubilee."

"You are most welcome, Angel. Please give my regards to your mother." The Togekiss replied with a smile. Angel spun around one last time and gave her a bright smile of her own before running out of the library, eager to begin reading her book.

Now just the four of them once again, Flora spoke, "I don't think I can recall anyone else that gets so excited over a book the way she does. It's good to know she keeps herself so educated."

"Indeed." Jubilee replied, still amused by the young Kirlia's antics. Motioning to her companions, she prepared to take her leave. "Be seeing you, Flora. Don't be shy to ask if you need anything else from us."

"Will do." Flora waved her goodbye.

Jubilee nodded back before exiting through the door and into the skies of the Fairy Realm, her small convoy right behind her.

With all the business over and done with, the Single Bloom Pokémon left her desk and went deeper into the library to help her colleagues, humming a tune along the way.

Angel was walking through the plaza, her new book now held firmly against her chest. She felt so happy. Last time she felt this happy was when she had gotten a new book last month. She loved books, if it wasn't already so obviously apparent. What she did not like were crowds. They always made her nervous or paranoid. Like someone was going to attack or steal something from her, no matter how far-fetched that sounded which is why she was actively looking for a more secluded place to do her reading.

It had been like that for as long as she can remember. When she wasn't making herself busy, she was usually found in her home under the care of her mother. A Gardevior and shiny just like her. Because of her anti-social nature, she chose to distance herself from other pokémon. Her mother appeared to be fine with that, although she wished she could open herself up a bit more and as a result chose to home-school Angel. She learned all manners of things directly from her mother. From simple knowledge all the way to battle tactics, her mother taught her and taught her well. Even though she lived sort of sheltered, she had a blessed life with her family and that's what mattered to her most.

Branching off the network of paths, she came across formation of flat rocks thirty centimiters high that were obscured by all the trees that grew in the realm. The trees provided her with shade while the rocks offered her a seat for her to rest on. Sometimes she overlooked the rocks and sat down on the spongy grass, whichever worked. This was her 'reading spot' or so she liked to call it.

Sighing with content, Angel approached one of the rocks and sat daintily upon it while placing her bag on the grass. Then she opened up the educational material and begun to read from it...

"Angel!"

"Ah!" Well she would have liked to... It appears one of her friends had found her. "Sylvia... You startled me." The shaken Kirlia lowered her head and put a hand over her rapidly beating chest.

"Did I? Sorry about that." Looking back up, Angel was greeted by the happy face of one of her friends; Sylvia. A Sylveon. She approached Angel while holding a bouquet of flowers in her ribbon-like feelers. She could guess what they were for.

"Tribute?" Angel asked, referring to the flowers.

"That's right! Aren't they amazing?" The Sylveon happily replied and brought the bouquet towards Angel. "Here. Take a whiff."

Shrugging, Angel complied, taking a long smell of the flowers, finding them to her liking. "Wow. What are these?"

Looking down at the white and pink colored flowers, Sylvia tried to recall what they were called. "Hmmm... I bought them from Miss Fleur. Said they were orc-kids or something like that."

"You mean orchids?"

"Ah yes, that's what they're called." Sylvia sheepishly replied.

"Honestly..." Angel smiled at the Sylveon. She was one of the very few pokémon Angel was actually comfortable to be around. She was always impulsive but very friendly. Her behavior also amused Angel by a good margin. A pokémon she would gladly call her friend. Their meeting was an interesting one. Sylvia, who was an Eevee at the time just approached her as a Ralts one day and kept talking and following her around until Angel eventually got used to her and her antics, finding her company to be rather refreshing and entertaining. Well, guess it wasn't that unique of a meeting. There were friends like this everywhere.

"By the way... What do you have there? New book?"

"Newest book." Angel held up the reading material high enough for Sylvia to read the title.

"'Legendary Pantheon', huh?" Sylvia sat in front of her friend. "I never thought such a thing could be considered as something desirable. We aren't allowed to leave our realm so learning about the happenings of the outside world never really crossed my mind."

"Which is why I like to read on stuff like this. I'd love to know what goes on beyond our border and this is the only way I can do it." Angel opened up the first page, skipping the head notes and getting to the good stuff. "May I?"

"Well I can't say I'm not curious." Sylvia laid on her stomach in a more comfortable position. "Read away."

"Alright... Mm-hmm... According to the table of contents, the first few pages appear to just be a summary of the pantheon while the later chapters go into more detail about the legendary pokémon. Let's start simple, shall we?" Sylvia nodded and with that, Angel begun reading.

"Herein lies the current Pantheon of the known Legendary Pokémon. More in depth descriptions to follow in future chapters:

Arceus - The creator of the pantheon and all pokémon. He keeps peace between Dialga and Palkia and banished Giratina to the Reverse World for its violent tendencies.

Mew - Holds no seat. Denied a part of the pantheon in favor of freedom. No one knows its whereabouts... Sounds like we have a rebel on our hands." Angel commented before continuing.

"Lugia - Co-Ruler of flying types alongside Ho-Oh. Takes up residence somewhere in the ocean and commands the elemental birds; Articuno, Zapdos and Moltres.

Ho-Oh - Co-Ruler of flying types alongside Lugia. Rules the skies and commands the legendary beasts; Entei, Suicune and Raikou.

Celebi - Co-Rules alongside Shaymin and acts as a bridge between the grass types and psychic types. Lives in the large expanding meadows and forests of the realm of the grass types.

Groudon - Expanded the reach of the lands in order to accommodate rock and ground type pokémon and is currently in a state of deep slumber beyond the Earth Realm.

Kyogre - Expanded the reach of the ocean in order to accommodate water type pokémon and is currently in a state of deep slumber beyond the Water Realm.

Regirock, Regice & Registeel - Three elemental golems and protectors of the realm of normal types and under the command of Regigigas.

Jirachi - The long slumbering and coveted deity of the extremely durable steel types. Its time of awakening is unknown. It gets its protection from the steel types' great wall and formidable army. Trying to force a meeting with it is largely considered suicide.

Latias & Latios - Enforcers and protectors of the floating city of psychic types. They hold a great bond with one another and do everything in their power to keep each other, as well as their city, safe.

Rayquaza - Ruler of the great land of dragons. Though it holds jurisdiction over dragons, it prefers to live in the ozone layer and keep an eye on things from its perch. Said to occasionally visit the Sky Pillar.

Diagla & Palkia - Living in their respective dimensions of time and space, Dialga keeps time flowing while Palkia keeps space stable. Arceus himself keeps a watchful eye on them, should they conflict in some manner.

Giratina - A spectral dragon representing anti-matter that was banished to the Distortion World by Arceus for its violent behavior. There is a running theory that a portal to this world lies somewhere in the lands inhabited by ghost types where spiritual energy is highest.

Uxie, Mesprit & Azelf - Three sprites that are speculated to be the key to accessing the dimensions inhabited by Dialga and Palkia. For this reason, they keep themselves hidden from other pokémon, whether friend or foe.

Heatran - A legendary fire and steel type living somewhere in the Volcanic Summit located near the Fire Realm. It currently lies dormant.

Regigigas - The great and powerful ruler of the realm of normal types, it uses its might to keep its subjects safe. It created the legendary golems; Regirock, Regice and Registeel to further enforce protection over its fellow normal types. Though inhibited by its ability, it becomes unstoppable if given enough time in battle.

Manaphy & Phione - Two mysterious water types that keep the seas safe and their waters pure. Speculations to their actual whereabouts remain open.

Darkrai - Holds no jurisdiction and isolates itself on the far away New Moon Island in order to keep its power from causing unintentional harm... I wonder what kind of power that is...

Cresselia - Because of Mew's refusal of a seat on the pantheon, Cresselia was moved from her perch on Full Moon Island by Arceus' order in order to accommodate the psychic types. Using the combined power of the psychic types she leads as well as her own, she was able to lift the entire city of the psychics right out of the ocean and turn it into a floating fortress. Because of her power to cause sweet dreams, the psychic power of her subjects remain at an optimum level thanks to their clear and positive minds. She is held in high regard and sometimes referred to as their queen... Woah, that's amazing.

Shaymin - Co-Ruler of the grass realm alongside Celebi. It mostly protects its realm from threats and keeps it pristine by absorbing toxins, purifying them within its own body and expelling it as sunlight and water. It has a second powerful form that has something to do with the Gracidea flower... Gracidea flower?" Angel looked up at her Sylveon friend for any kind of explanation who just shrugged, not having a clue either. Oh well. Story for another day...

"Zekrom - Ruler of the stormy lands of thunder and lightning. It first appeared to have some sort of misunderstanding with Reshiram but the two were able to sort things out in order to keep the relationships between fire types and electric types stable.

Reshiram - Ruler of the burning hot and volcanic realm of fire types. It first appeared to have some sort of misunderstanding with Zekrom but the two were able to sort things out in order to keep the relationships between fire types and electric types stable. Hmmm... These two sound like they have an extensive history together. Hopefully I can find out about that later...

Kyurem - Feared ruler of the deathly cold Ice Realm. It has a mysterious past and appears to have some parts missing from its body. Though no one can confirm it, there is a malicious rumor that it sometimes cannibalizes on its fellow ice types that became lost in its blizzards.

The Swords of Justice - Cobalion, Terrakion, Virizion and Keldeo collectively rule over the fierce and competitive hearts of the fighting types. Though Keldeo is only their apprentice, it's still very formidable in battle. All of them have zero tolerance of pokémon that extort from the weak. They are looked upon with much admiration by the fighting types they rule over.

Meloetta - Also resides in the realm of fighting types alongside the Swords of Justice. Using her Relic Song, she can change forms to be either a beautiful singer in her Aria Form or a graceful dancer in her Pirouette Form.

Tornadus and Thundurus - Two malevolent deities that love to cause harm to the various lands for their own amusement. Because of this, Arceus anointed Landorus in order to keep them in check.

Landorus - A benevolent earth deity that brings peace to the lands by keeping Tornadus and Thunurus in check. He also brings great harvest to those that pay tribute to him.

Xerneas - A great fairy resembling a deer mostly known for its vibrant and majestic rainbow colored antlers. Using its life granting power, it granted its fairy subjects - that would be us - a beautiful forested land for them to live on and transformed into a tree in order to replenish that lost power.

Yveltal - An extremely large and destructive avian known for its glowing red and black body. Its simple appearance boosts the power of its fellow dark types. Its power to automatically drain the life of all around it when killed caused it to turn itself into an immobile cocoon to prevent any harm it may accidentally cause its subjects.

Zygarde - An otherworldly dragon currently lurking in parts unknown... It is said that it will appear when the ecosystem falls into disarray and reveal its power. This is all that is known about it... Hmm..."

Angel sighed and placed the bookmark accordingly before closing the book. Looking up at the Sylveon, she found, to her surprise, that her friend was being completely attentive. Normally, she would be snoring right about now. Perhaps she enjoyed it as much as she herself did?

Sylvia was silent for a while before finally speaking up. "Woah... To think that there's so little we know about the world. Now I really have an interest in the outside world. It's like what else don't we know, you know? I didn't even think so many legendary pokémon even existed before now and who knows how many undocumented ones are running around." Sylvia got back up and stretched a little. "Speaking of which, that Kyoorum guy sounds like a real creep. And those two, Tornados and Thunderos or whatever they're called sound like real jerks."

"What surprised me is that the Psychic Realm is actually a floating city. Legendary pokémon sure are amazing... I really hope I'd get to see it for myself someday." Angel hugged the book to her chest in thought.

"Hold on to that dream. It may yet become a reality." Sylvia winked at her friend and picked her flowers back up, using her ribbons to fasten them against her side. "Hey. Where are your flowers? Aren't you going to the Life Tree?"

"Went there yesterday with my mom." Angel got up off her perch and crammed her book into her bag which was full of other books. Sylvia saw this and rolled her eyes.

"Always getting things done ahead of time, huh? Well would you at least be so kind as to escort me?"

"Sure." Angel placed the strap of her bag over her head and back onto her left shoulder. "I'd love to escort-Ah!" Angel was once again surprised by her friend who had suddenly maneuvered her body underneath the Kirlia and rose up so she was now straddling her back.

"Great stuff! Let's go!"

"Wh-what!? I-"

"Hold on tight and don't yank the ribbons!" With that, the energetic Sylveon took off from the secluded area and into a more open path. Dodging fellow pokémon as well as other obstacles, she made a Beedrill line for the northern-most road that will take her to the Fairy Realm's Life Tree.

"Syl! Via! Please! Slow down! You're going too fast!" Angel complained from her spot on top of her friend, holding on for dear life.

"What's that? Sorry I can't hear you over all this fun!"

Sylvia kept on charging ahead, finally making it to the long road lined with trees more magnificent than the ones at the entrance of the realm. These ones had an assorted color of leaves. Even pink leaves!

Angel kept her arms wrapped around her friend's neck, fearing a painful fall should she let go. Unlike her friend, Sylvia was having the time of her life. She sometimes went off the path so she could navigate and dodge around the multitude of trees and rocks, suddenly changing direction or leaping over just before it looked like she was going to crash into some of them. Nearing a low hanging branch, she observed that its elevation was just high enough that the Sylveon would be able to pass right under it but low enough that it would cause harm to her friend if she tried. Smirking mischievously, she used one of her ribbon-feelers to loosen her friend's grip on the front of her body and then bucked upwards, sending the surprised, wide-eyed Kirlia into the air and over the branch only to be caught by the Sylveon on the other side seconds later.

"Sylvia!"

"Cool, right?" Now at the end of the road, Sylvia rejoined the main path and begun to slow down before skidding to a complete stop. "We're here! Angel? Hey, Angel!" She used her feelers to poke at her friend who still had her arms wrapped around her with her eyes shut tight and wasn't budging.

Shrugging, Sylvia proceeded forward and the path opened up to a large garden. A huge garden. A garden bigger than any pokémon could ever behold in their lives. It had to be like one hundred meters in diameter. Every kind of flower that could be grown on land decorated the place and that was no exaggeration. Orchids, roses, sunflowers, you name it, this place had it. The beauty of it all was further enhanced by the morning sun that cast its brilliant glow upon the area, making it look ethereal. The only part of the grand garden not riddled with the magnificent floral display was a single narrow route that lead to a large, stark white, leafless tree in the center of it all. This was what the fairies called their very reason for living: The Life Tree. Their patron legendary and lord, Xerneas.

Sylvia carefully approached the mysterious tree. It gave off a warm glow and she could not even begin to describe how good it felt. Stopping right in front of it, Sylvia bowed her head and bared her flowers, using her long ribbons to set them at the base of the tree along with the other flowers that had been placed there by many other pokémon. It actually wasn't a requirement to pay tribute to the Life Tree like this. It was just something the pokémon of the realm liked to do to show their undying gratitude. "For you, lord Xerneas. May your very presence continue to grant our realm peace and tranquillity. Say hi to lord Xerneas, Angel."

"H-h-h-h-h..."

"Angel says hi but I guess you know that considering you already spoke yesterday." Sylvia bowed one last time before making her leave from the Life Tree. "Until next time, lord Xerneas."

Sylvia turned around, Angel still on her back and began making her way back to the main part of the realm but stopped upon seeing the a small group of Flabébé and Floette led by a Florges coming up the path.

"Oh! Miss Fleur! Good morning!" The Sylveon bowed respectfully to the Florges in front of her.

"Good morning, my dear Sylvia. I see you put those orchids to good use?" She spoke with a most enchanting voice. Fleur de Lis. That was her name and she was the single pokémon responsible for all the types of flowers blooming in the garden. When it came to knowledge of flowers and how to take care of them, no one had her beat. With the right environment, she could grow any kind of flower in the world... And she did. She is the red flower variety of Florges.

Sylvia smiled brightly at the elder pokémon. "Sure did! Thank you for the help. Say hi to Miss Fleur, Angel." The Kirlia finally looked up to see the Garden Pokémon smiling at her and greeted her with a barely audible "Hello."

"Hello, Angel." Fleur replied all the same. "Already made your tribute?"

"Yes ma'am." Sylvia answered for the both of them. "We will be taking our leave now."

"Yes of course." The Florges watched as the Sylveon walked around her and made her way to the exit. "Have a good day now." Parting with those words, Fleur and her entourage continued into the garden to tend to the many flowers."

"You two ma'am!" Sylvia called back behind her, finally making her way to the same road that will take them back home. "Ready for round two, Angel?"

Angel just looked at her friend, confused. What could she mean by... Uh oh... "Wait! S-surely you jest!?"

"Nnnnnnope. I in fact do not 'jest'." Sylvia replied, zooming back up the path at top speed and being rewarded with a fresh batch of Angel's panicked noises.

"Sy... Sylvia, please!"

The fun-happy Sylveon just laughed. "The day has only just begun, Angel!"


	2. The Long Road Ahead

* * *

 

"Oh come on. It wasn't so bad." The Intertwining Pokémon said as she walked alongside her sulking friend who had long since gotten off her back.

Said friend faced her with an exasperated look. "I don't really mind you carrying me around like that, just the way you went about it. What if I fell or hit that branch?"

"You didn't."

"But what if I did?"

"Well you didn't. I was being extra careful, believe it or not. No point in talking about what never happened, right?" It was a valid argument but it wasn't enough to satisfy Angel.

"Just... A little warning next time okay?"

"Next time? So you did enjoy it?"

"No, I'm just asking you to tell me ahead of time when you next plan on doing something rash since I'm powerless to stop you." It was true. Even if she did attack Sylvia with her psychic power, not that she would ever, it was almost pointless for her to do so anyway. Her friend was a Sylveon and they were known for their extreme durability against special attacks.

"Hey now... No need to be like that. Look, I'm sorry okay?" Sylvia walked closer to her friend and wrapped one of her ribbons around her wrist. Then she channeled a peculiar but pleasant aura through it. "Better?"

The Kirlia sighed in content. "Much better, thank you." Now smiling, Angel couldn't deny how good those ribbons felt against her body. She didn't know what it was about them but they gave off this calming aura and the Kirlia's spirits were lifted immediately even if she was in a sour mood literally two seconds ago. "The day is still early. Got any plans?"

"No, not really." Sylvia pondered for a bit. "Why don't we head over to the training hold and pay Gallant a visit?"

"He's in the training hold?"

"Gallant's always in the training hold." Sylvia replied matter-of-factly.

They were referring to their mutual friend who was also a Kirlia. Angel had met him through Sylvia since they spent far more time training with the public than she herself did. One of the handful of male Kirlia that dreamed of acquiring a Dawn Stone and evolving into the powerful Gallade. For this reason, he trained hard and trained every day. Pushing his limits and strengthening his body in preparation for his own time of evolution. The Gallade that lived in the realm were not of the fairy type as they lose that during evolution in favor of the fighting type. Nevertheless, they were born as fairies in the Fairy Realm and had a right to call it their home as much as any other.

"Hmm... Sounds good then."

"Darn right, it sounds good. Hopefully we can watch him kick the crud out of someone." Sylvia jabbed at the air with her free ribbons like she was a Hitmonchan.

"I think the idea of training is to strengthen one's body not to see how many pokémon you can feed dirt."

"That being said, it's pretty funny when someone actually does end up eating dirt." Sylvia laughed and it was contagious enough to get Angel laughing too, though in a more reserved manner than her joyful friend.

The two walked hand in ribbon a few minutes more before stopping in front of the familiar large building located to the north of the central plaza. If one listened closely, they could hear some commotion coming from the inside. This was the training hold and many aspiring pokémon spent a lot of their time practicing their techniques and strategies here. Some only visiting for the simple sake of battle.

"Sounds like the party's already gotten started. Come on." Still holding Angel's hand, the two of them walked into the building.

The inside was of simple design. There was a wall that spanned the entire length of the room with a door on either side that led further into the building. There was also a desk situated in between the doors currently occupied by two Klefki.

"Looks like we have company, Keychain." The one on their left spoke.

"Indeed we do, Keyring and familiar faces they are." The one on the right replied to his companion.

"Good morning, Sylvia. Good morning, Angel." The two Klefki spoke in perfect unison.

"Good morning, you two. Say hi, Angel."

Angel just gave her friend a tired expression. "What are you, my guardian? You need to stop doing that."

"Angel says hi." Sylvia walked closer to the desk. "Is the training room open?"

"Opened up a little while ago." The one called Keychain informed her.

"Participants are currently minimal so you're free to go in." Keyring floated over to the door and used one of his keys to unlock it for them.

"You lock the doors now?" Angel inquired.

"Necessary precaution. Sometimes things get a little rough. Last time a pokémon flew through this very door. Broke it off its hinges, he did. Had to have it replaced. This way the doors will hold better." The Klefki opened the door and motioned for the two pokémon to enter. "In you go, ladies."

"Thank you!"

The two friends entered the room and the door was closed and locked behind them. This room was far more spacious and made up the majority of the building. There were all kinds of training equipment lining the walls. Punching bags, weights, dummies for target practice and other things. A good number of pokémon were gathered close to the walls of the large semi-circular room currently cheering on a battle that was going on in the center. Unlike the room before that had a stone floor, this one was made up of hard wood to make it easier for battlers to navigate. In the center of the room was a male Kirlia and a Swirlix currently engaged in combat. This Kirlia being the aforementioned Gallant, identifiable by a yellow strap with red tribal markings he wore around his right arm. He wasn't in the usual stance associated with his kind, instead taking a more primal stance.

Both pokémon had a few barely visible bruises on their bodies but they looked like they weren't done yet. Giving a war cry that sounded more cute than threatening, the Swirlix charged Gallant who stood his ground. Upon reaching the Kirlia, the Cotton Candy Pokémon attempted a tackle but Gallant quickly threw his arm out and placed it on the Swirlix's head, using it to vault himself over his opponent and retaliating with a shoulder bash from his new position behind it.

The Swirlix cried out, losing its balance and face-planting onto the floor. Shaking its head a little, it tenaciously got back up and charged its way towards Gallant once again, intending to bring him down to the same level of damage as itself with Endeavor. Gallant stood his ground a second time. He was about to counter-attack when a loose floor board ahead of him caught his eye. Smirking, he used his psychic energy to lift the floor board a little higher, causing the Swirlix to trip over it and land painfully on the ground once more, sliding and coming to a stop at Gallant's feet.

It looked up at him defiantly, getting up and planning on attacking one last time. The Kirlia saw this and he responded by jabbing is left arm forwards, nailing the Swirlix between the eyes before striking forward with his right, expelling a psychic wave that sent the Swirlix flying across the room. The Swirlix landed some meters away from Gallant, this time not moving and making him the victor.

Gallant sighed and stretched while the pokémon around him cheered, some even chanting his name.

"Gallant!" Hey. That one was a voice he recognized. Looking in the direction of the source of the call, Gallant saw Sylvia running up to him, Angel closely in tow at her own pace. "Hey there, Sylvia."

"Hey, Gallant!" Sylvia stopped right in front of him and gave him her friendly smile. "I saw your battle. Well the last half of it anyway. Congratulations. It looks like you're getting stronger every day."

"Do you think so? Because I sure hope so." Even if he was quite skilled, there was still a lot he could go for. As he was still a Kirlia, Gallant's physical hits didn't do so much damage, forcing him to go the extra mile just to fell a single opponent. It was why he trained as hard as he did. When he evolves, though, it will make all his efforts worthwhile.

"I don't think you have much to worry about. Evidently, you're quite skilled." The compliment made Gallant smile brightly.

"Well I have been training my horns off, haven't I?" Gallant put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest in an attempt to look tough but considering what all Kirlia looked like, it didn't sell.

"So... Did you make anyone eat dirt?"

"Did I what?"

"Long story." Angel finally made her presence known. "Hey, Gallant."

"Hey there, Angel." The two shook hands which looked more like a business deal than a greeting. "Funny seeing you in here. I would think you'd be at the library or something."

"Already been. Have a look." The shiny Kirlia reached into her bag for a moment and recovered what she was looking for. "I got a new book earlier today. It depicts the current status of the Legendary Pantheon." Angel explained as she started walking towards a more empty part of the room, her two friends following closely.

"The what now?"

"It's a divine seat among legendary pokémon. Some of them being more prestigious than others." That was surprising considering the explanation didn't come from Angel.

"I never knew you had such a keen interest in literature, Sylvia. Angel rubbing off on you?"

"You could say that my interest was piqued. Taught us both some stuff we weren't ever aware of."

"Like what?"

"Like-"

"Like did you know the Psychic Realm is actually a floating city ruled by a legendary pokémon named Cresselia?" Angel suddenly interrupted.

"As a matter of fact, I did."

"What? Really?" Both his friends chorused.

"Hmmmmm... Nah." Gallant smiled cheekily, causing Sylvia to giggle and Angel to make an unamused frown. "That book does sound fascinating, though. Who wrote it?"

"Ummmm..." Angel looked at the bottom of the cover. "Someone named SK. Cerebral."

"SK. Cerebral?" The male Kirlia asked, to which Angel just shrugged. "Well whoever that is, they seem pretty intellectual. What with them being able to get detailed descriptions on supremely powerful pokémon that rarely show themselves."

Sylvia decided to put in her own opinion on the matter. "Yeah and who's to say it wasn't written by another legendary pokémon altogether?"

Angel blinked at that. "Wait. You mean to say that my book could be written by a legendary pokémon? That's... That's like... Wow!" Angel hugged the book to her chest and started spinning around. The two other pokémon present just giggled at her antics.

Their good time was short-lived, however, as a pair of pokémon, a Clefairy and a Snubbull, walked up to them with the Snubbull looking none too friendly.

"Hey you three." The Snubbull addressed them. "You guys do know that this isn't the library, right?"

Angel didn't hear her as she was still spinning in joy. Shaking her head, Sylvia stepped forward and answered for the both of them. "We're well aware, yes. Got any other news for us, captain obvious?"

The Clefairy sighed and stepped forward as well. "What my friend means to say is that this is a place of training not loitering. If you have no such business here then you'll have to take your company somewhere else. I don't want to be the one to ruin your fun but it's kind of a rule. Sorry."

Satisfied with the Clefairy's more reasonable approach, Sylvia conceded. "Alright, we'll be taking our leave then. Sorry for the disturbance. Let's go Angel. Angel? A-Angel, that's enough of that... Stop!" The Intertwining Pokémon used her ribbons to halt her friend's spinning. Seriously how did she not get tired? "Come on, we're leaving. Coming with, Gallant?"

"Sure, I've got time to kill." The male Kirlia prepared to leave with his friends but they were stopped by the Snubbull once again.

"Wait! Before you leave, the floor is still open. What say you to a battle?"

The gathered friends looked at one another then back at the two other pokémon.

"You guys go on ahead. I've already had my fill for the morning." Gallant offered.

The Clefairy spoke up next to the Snubbull. "Let's make things more fun with a double battle. How about it?"

Sylvia smirked and gladly accepted the challenge, eager for a little brawl. "Come on, Angel. Can't back down from a challenge, right?" Unsure, the Emotion Pokémon looked at the other Kirlia in the group.

"Go ahead. Here let me let take that for you." Gallant held onto Angel's book and bag for her then nodded towards her with a smile. Angel nodded back before facing her soon to be opponents.

"Challenge accepted."

The four of them made their way to the open battle spot in the center of the room with Gallant staying behind and playing spectator. Angel and Sylvia stood on one side with about three meters space in between them with their opponents doing the same five meters ahead of them. Other pokémon were already gathering around them, eager to watch another battle take place.

"You guys ready? Then here we go." The Clefairy presented a small rock and tossed it upwards. All party members watched it fly up then fall back down. The moment it struck the ground, the battle begun.

Angel got things started by activating her ability; Trace. Selecting the Snubbull as her target, she traced her Intimidate ability. With it as her new ability, Angel's eyes glowed a fierce amber that was imposing enough for her opponents to think twice about attacking her.

The Snubbull activate her own Intimidate ability, eyes becoming fierce and baring her fangs. It made both Angel and Sylvia weary enough to take a step back but they were both specially oriented pokémon and if they did things right, they wouldn't have to get close enough to the Snubbull for her ability to hinder them.

The Clefairy's action was a more defensive one in Cosmic Power. The starry energy surrounded the fairy type pokémon and he felt immediately felt the strengthening effects of the aura, boosting both his defense and special defense.

Next was Sylvia who decided to play support and ran to Angel's side. Knowing what was coming, Angel held her hand out for her friend to take. The Sylveon reached out with one of her ribbons and wrapped them around her partner's arm, granting her with the damage boosting effects of Helping Hand. With her body temporarily powered up, Angel let loose a strong Dazzling Gleam that assaulted her opponents and lit up the entire room.

The bright flash of Angel's attack, further backed by Sylvia's shared power, was enough to knock both their opponents off their feet. The Clefairy caught himself in mid-air using his wings but the same couldn't be said for the Snubbull who was unfortunate enough to keep tumbling a good distance across the floor.

Quickly recovering thanks to his enhanced defenses, the Clefairy channeled a new power. Flying high up, he raised a glowing fist and came careening back down like a meteorite with Angel as his intended target. It wouldn't come to be, however, as Sylvia ran up and took the blow for her friend. Intimidate or not, Angel wouldn't be able to handle the Meteor Mash attack.

Sylvia winced as the explosive punch sent her body skidding along the floor. Not only was that a physical move which she was vulnerable to but it was also a steel type move which happened to be one of the fairy type's weaknesses. She wasn't down for the count, though. She had high vitality and it would take more than that to take her out.

"Sylvia... You okay?" Angel teleported to her side at once, still in her battle stance. The pokémon on the other side of the field had recuperated as well and even though the Snubbull looked shaken, she could still fight.

"Don't worry, this is nothing."

"Of course I worry. We're partners in this fight, right?" Angel's horns glowed brightly for a moment and she performed Heal Pulse, releasing the healing wave as a series of ripples that patched up the Sylveon's bruises. "Better?"

"Much better, thanks." The Sylveon smirked and faced her opponents once more, feeling good as new. "That blow hurt, I won't lie but at least I left him with a little parting gift." Angel looked back at their opponents and saw the Clefairy acting peculiar. Instead of attacking, he just kept on staring at Sylvia like she was his very reason for living. Cute Charm. That was Sylvia's ability. It infatuated opposite gendered pokémon that made physical contact with her.

Angel smiled, with the larger threat out of the way, she could focus on the wounded Snubbull. "Then let's wrap this up, shall we?"

The Sylveon nodded to her partner and closed her eyes, using Calm Mind to hone her senses and collect energy through her body. Seeing this, the Snubbull charged at Sylvia in the hopes of disrupting her concentration with her Play Rough attack.

Angel would have none of it, though. She held her arms in front of her and the Snubbull was suddenly struck with an unseeable psychic force, sending her rolling along the ground once more before coming to a stop right in front of the preoccupied Clefairy. Right where they needed her.

With her meditating done, Sylvia finally let rip with a powerful Moonblast, sending the white projectile flying at the incapacitated pair, impacting and enveloping them both in a large dome of unforgiving energy which further illuminated the room with a brilliant glow. When the attack finally ended, it revealed their opponents that were sprawled on the ground where they lay very defeated.

"Hah! Child's play!" The Sylveon hopped side to side and seeing her friend so happy was enough to get Angel twirling again. Done with their little victory dance, the two made their way back to their third friend while their former opponents where carried off on a stretcher and taken to the infirmary located in one of the back rooms.

When Sylvia and Angel made their way back to Gallant, he wasted no time in complimenting them. "Good job, you two. That was some nice teamwork."

Sylvia smirked and held her head high in a victory pose. "Thanks! It just goes to show that-" Her sentence was suddenly interrupted by the sound of her growling stomach and she made an embarrassed smile at her amused friends.

"Looks like all that fighting worked up an appetite... Heh. So how about we go to the food stands and get a bite to eat? Come on, Gallant!"

"Well now that you mention it, I am kinda hungry..." Gallant found himself being pulled ahead by one of Sylvia's ribbons with Angel smiling and following along.

* * *

 

Fairy Realm - Secluded Spot

The three fairy friends had returned to the small hidden area that Angel liked to do her reading. They were currently sitting on the grass around an elevated flat rock upon which lay their treats, bought courtesy of Angel who was the only one that thought to bring her money with her that day, not that she minded. Their treats consisted of half a dozen poképuffs. Delicious, mouth-watering cupcakes that were so extremely popular with pokémon worldwide that nearly everyone had a recipe or two on how to prepare them. These particular ones were acquired from a Slurpuff than ran a small stand in the plaza that sold them in different varieties.

"I don't think I can get enough of these things." Sylvia commented, taking another mouthful off one of her poképuffs.

"I'll admit they're quite easy to get addicted to... I just wish we could have at least helped Angel chip in on the price."

"I told you guys, it's fine. Mom always gives me more than enough spending money so please enjoy them." Angel waved them off as she enjoyed her own snack.

Enjoy they certainly did, indulging themselves on the delicious cupcakes. By the time they were done, the only indication of the poképuffs' existence was the small bit of crumbs left on the rock they were gathered around. Record time.

"By the way, Gallant, I've been meaning to ask... What's that?" Angel wiped the remains of her treat off her mouth and pointed at Gallant's arm. The yellow material he wore caught her attention from the time she first saw it this morning.

"Oh this? It's a Muscle Band."

Sylvia walked around the rock to where Gallant was seated so she could get a closer look at it. "Oh, I think I might have heard of these. What does it do?"

"It enhances my physical attacks. Simple as that. Since I train in the close quarters department, I need all the help I can get and this thing provides me with just that."

Angel also got a closer look at it. "It looks just like a plain cloth to me. How does it work?"

"Well... I suppose you can say that the surface has a special compound that stimulates muscles when wrapped tightly against the skin... But that's just a theory I have, don't quote me on it. As long as it does its job, I don't really care how it works."

Sylvia looked surprised. From her point of view it just looked like a fashion choice. "This thing does all that? Where did you get it?"

"Had Jubilee make a requisition for me from the Pokémon Settlement after seeing it in a magazine and how it could help with my training. She told me items like this get manufactured and distributed from the Steel Realm all the time, just in case you were wondering where they get made." Gallant laid down on his back in a more lazy fashion, facing the blue sky and soon joined by his friends.

"I really wish I could see for myself just what goes on out there. At least just once, you know?" It was a strict rule that the younger populace of the Fairy Realm could not leave their home without supervision or even at all, depending on who was asked. Even if she did have supervision, there would be a limit to how far she could travel. Not like she could just ask an adult to escort her to see the whole world and back like it was something so simple. The thought was ludicrous.

"I hear ya, Angel. How about you, Gallant? Don't you think it would be nice to see the outside even if it was just for a short time?"

"I'm about to, actually."

"What!?" Sylvia suddenly got up on her feet and faced Gallant directly, making him sit up in surprise. "For real? Or are you just joking like last time?" Angel was also surprised at Gallant's comment though she wasn't going to be as hysterical about it as her friend. "If not, why, how and when?"

Looking at the Sylveon's intense expression made him suppose she was privy to an explanation. "Um... Well... A select group of Kirlia in training, me being one of them, are going on a field trip to the Pokémon Settlement to request Dawn Stones. We're being led by our training instructor, Edge. You know, one of the Gallade that works in the Training Hold. We could have had Jubilee make the request for us but he said it could be an opportunity to test our prowess if we make the trip ourselves. I was surprised myself to be honest."

"So you're going into the Brilliant Meadow? Gonna fight wild pokémon? See the Pokémon Settlement with your own eyes? All that noise?" Sylvia punctuated each of her questions by moving her face closer and closer to Gallant.

"Yeah. All that noise." The male Kirlia lightly tapped Sylvia's forehead and put a little more distance between them. "I don't know what it's like yet but I can't deny that I'm pretty excited. All he told us was to prepare accordingly and that he'll give us the details tomorrow morning."

"Well aren't we lucky all of a sudden?" Sylvia pouted, wishing she could get in on the presented expedition.

"I don't know if I could call it 'lucky'. There are just as many dangers out there as opportunities, after all. Anything could happen. Especially if one is unprepared." Angel's reasoning didn't ease Sylvia any.

"Hey which reminds me... I have some supplies I need to collect in preparation for the trip. You guys are welcome to come along if you want?" Gallant got up and stretched his body out a little.

Looking at each other and figuring 'why not,' Angel and Sylveon nodded to Gallant, deciding to do just that.

"Great. Let me just get my money bag from home. I'll meet you guys at the Fiore's Berry Shop. That alright?" Another collective nod. "Great. I'll see you two there then."

And with that the gathered party separated with Gallant leaving in one direction while Angel and Sylvia left for the designated rendezvous point.

* * *

 

Fairy Realm: Fiore's Berry Shop - Entrance

It was a building everyone was familiar with. Fiore's Berry Shop was one of the many buildings that rested along the inner circumference of the Fairy Realm. The main part of it was a simple housing with potted flowers that decorated it at the base and even on the rooftop. Then there was the rear part which was concealed by a high, circular stone wall in which the gardening to make various berries took place. This is where Angel and Sylvia had gathered and were currently waiting for their third comrade to make his appearance.

"He sure is taking his time."

"I think that's just you being impatient."

"It's been like forever."

"We've only been here five minutes, ourselves."

"He can teleport, can't he?"

"Yes but it isn't necessary."

"You think something might have happened?"

"No."

"What if something happened?"

"Sylvia, please be patient."

"I'm just saying, what if he was given chores to do the moment he got- hey, there he is!" Sylvia raised a ribbon and waved to the gradually approaching Kirlia who waved back.

"Hey guys." Gallant stopped in front of them, a bag resting at his hip with the strap around his waist. It looked similar to Angel's but black. "Got everything I need right here. Shall we go in?" Opening the door, the three pokémon quickly entered the berry shop.

The inside was of the shop was of simple design as well, though it was fairly spacious. The left and right walls were lined with multiple shelves that held an assortment of berries which other customers were currently inspecting and to where the three made their way first.

"So what are you looking to get?" Angel asked.

"Salac and Leichi berries. Fruits that stimulate a body to raise one's speed and physical attacks, respectively, when consumed. Gonna need those if I'm gonna be getting into unavoidable battles with hostiles."

"Do they taste good?" Sylvia got a closer inspection at the berries Gallant had collected.

"Depends on your preferences, really. I certainly like how a Leichi berry tastes but I doubt you guys would."

"Why? How does it taste?"

"Spicy."

"I hate it already."

"That's okay. You wouldn't be needing it anyway, I'm sure. I would recommend an Apicot berry for you which raises endurance against special attacks. A Maranga berry is a much more reliable version of that but that one is a little pricy since it's hard to come across. I would also suggest a Petaya berry for Angel since it would help boost her own special attacks."

Angel looked back at the shelves housing the many berries. She didn't train with the others in the Training hold and as such, missed a few opportunities to sample the performance enhancing berries. As of now, she was now interested in the multitude of colored consumables. Perhaps she'll be making a trip back here, sometime in the future.

With what they need in hand, the three started making their way towards the counter where the store owner, a Florges, was currently conversing with a few of her Floette assistants.

"How are the Sitrus and Lum crops coming along?"

"Just about ready to sprout, ma'am." One of her assistants answered.

"And the Kee and Maranga berries? We shall be expecting customers looking for those types soon."

"Ganlon, Leichi, Salac and Petaya berries have been planted in series, Miss Fiore. Surprise Mulch was used so we can have better chances of a berry mutation."

"Excellent work, ladies. That will be all for now." The gathered Floette all bowed to their boss before disappearing through the back door and into the garden. Now that they saw that she was free, the three new customers walked closer to the counter.

"Good afternoon, Miss Fiore." Gallant greeted.

Hearing her name, the addressed pokémon turned around, revealing herself to be the white variety of Florges. "Angel, Sylvia, Gallant. What a lovely surprise. Is there anything I can do for you?" Fiore gave them a most friendly smile associated with her species.

"Yes there is, ma'am." Gallant stepped forward, money bag at the ready. "I'll be purchasing these three Salac berries and three Leichi berries. Please and thank you."

Gallant laid down a few Shards onto the counter while Fiore placed his order into a small disposable bag. "Here you go Gallant." Fiore retrieved her new Shards and placed them somewhere secure behind the counter. "Would these be for your training regimens as well?"

"Actually, these are for a bigger reason than that."

"A bigger reason? That being?"

"Well you see-"

"Champion over here is going on trip to the Pokémon Settlement. Gonna brave the Brilliant Meadow, beating down on bad guys and making his way to his prize: a Dawn Stone. Huzzah!" Sylvia wrapped a ribbon around Gallant's shoulder and flashed what she assumed was a heroic smile.

Fiore looked between the Sylveon and Kirlia in surprise. "Is this true?"

"Um... Yes. A group of us are being led by our training instructor on a trip to the Pokémon Settlement to order some Dawn Stones. It's a test of strength to see if we're ready to take on higher challenges when we evolve, he said."

"Hmmm... Is that right?" Fiore placed her right hand under her chin and rested her elbow on her left. "Well I do hope you stay safe. I would hate to think that something might happen to you all."

"I assure you that I'll be fine Miss Fiore. No cause for concern. Just a trip and back. Wouldn't want to put worry lines on that pretty face of yours." Gallant's comment brought color to Fiore's now smiling face. Not to mention surprised his friends.

"I'll take your word for it then, Gallant. Will that be all?"

"Yes, ma'am. Be seeing you." They all gave a friendly wave goodbye as the three fiends left the berry shop.

"Alright, just one more trip and we're done."

"Where to now?"

"We're going to Redolence's Incense Store." Gallant was already walking towards his new destination with Sylvia and Angel close by.

"What are you getting from there?"

"Just a little something that would help with the trip. I had Redolence prepare it for me in advance so this should be a quick trip."

The three continued to walk, now in silence, until they got to yet another large building. This one looked similar to Fiore's Berry Shop, sans back garden of course. The main difference being the chimney jutting out of thee top of the building from which a visible pink mist wafted. This was Redolence's Incense Shop. It was popular for making... Well, incense. Different types that had different effects. Some of them used in aromatherapy while others were used just for the sake of giving their homes an inviting scent. Gallant, however, had a more practical reason for his visit.

"Redolence?" Gallant called as he entered the store. This one was vastly different from the previous one they had visited.

This building looked more like a lab of some sort. From the entrance, there was a long stone slab starting a few meters from the door and going all the way into the back wall. It was about fifty centimeters high and just wide enough to accommodate the many apparatuses that lay along it while giving enough space for someone to walk along either side of it. Beakers, bunsen burners, test tubes and a lot of other stuff even Angel couldn't identify. There were a series of five doors that spanned the entire left wall and a large chalk board on the right wall littered with equations that made their heads spin just looking at them.

"Redolence, you here?"

"Just a moment!" Came a voice calling from one of the rooms. A moment later the furthest door opened and out walked an Aromatisse. The Fragrance Pokémon held a tray where multiple vials with colored liquids lay and placed it on the slab. "Why, if it isn't Gallant! I've been expecting you. Here for your order I presume?" The Aromatisse spoke with a feminine drawl.

"That's right. I take it they're ready?"

Redolence closed her eyes in what was an assumed smile and motioned for the three to come over. "I see you've brought your friends with you. How have you two been?"

"Well, thank you."

"Fine, thanks!"

Redolence turned their attention to the tray of sealed vials. "Here's what you asked for, Gallant. Good and ready. Please do not let the glass bottles fool you, I assure you they are quite sturdy."

Gallant bent over and inspected the small glass containers from a closer angle. There were three vials; a green one, a pink one and a red one. His friends joined him, curious as to what they were exactly.

"What are these? What do they do?" Angel asked and Redolence was more than happy to explain.

"They are specific types of aromas I created, each condensed into a liquid state. This one right here..." Redolence picked up the green one. "This one carries a healing property that is to be applied on wounds or other small injuries. This pink one has a very strong, pleasant fragrance that attracts other pokémon and this little guy here..." She picked up the remaining red one. "This one carries a pungent scent that no pokémon can tolerate. Aromatherapy, Sweet Scent and Stench all in a bottle. Convenience!"

The three adolescent pokémon were astounded at the concoctions. Convenience, indeed. But...

"Wait, you're carrying a liquid that attracts other pokémon? Isn't that a little dangerous?" Angel asked Gallant.

"Maybe but I won't use it for that. It's so that my team mates know where to find me, should we get separated."

"Well, look at the brain on Gallant. That's some nice thinking." Sylvia complemented. "So I'm assuming you know why he needs this stuff, Miss Redolence?"

"I was one of the first ones he told, actually. Very exciting news, indeed. That's why he had me prepare all this for him. Paid in advance, he did." The Aromatisse gave another of her eye smiles.

"Oh... Really?" Sylvia gave Gallant a dissatisfied frown.

"Don't give me that look. I told you eventually."

"Only after the subject was brought up."

"Leave him alone, Sylvia. He was evidently busy with preparations and stuff." Always the reasonable figure, Angel was.

"Which reminds me, Redolence. Any idea of what type of pokémon I'm likely to run into in the Brilliant Meadow?" Gallant chose to ignore the Sylveon's complaining altogether.

Redolence took on a thoughtful expression. "Well the Brilliant Meadow is home to many pokémon of the grass, fairy, flying and field egg groups. I'm sure you're aware of at least those. Zigzagoon, Pidgy, Oddish and others of the sort. Pokémon born outside of the realms tend to be weaker than us prestigious pokémon but that shouldn't allow you to drop your guard. There are things like Seviper and Fearow lurking out there and you need to be extra mindful. These pokémon, christened 'wild,' also tend to be hostile so please be on alert. It's quite a trip from here to the Pokémon Settlement on foot but there isn't that much cause for concern if you know what you're doing."

Sometime during her explanation, Angel, Gallant and Sylvia had taken to sitting on the floor and were looking right up at her like youngsters in a classroom. It wasn't that far from the truth. "Wow, that's all fascinating, Miss Redolence. Anything else you can tell us?" It was obvious that Angel was the most interested in the lesson. Even more interested than the one that actually asked the question.

"Like what, my dear?"

"Like if you know that, could you perhaps tell us about other locations you know of?"

The Aromatisse put a hand on her hip. "I could explain even the whole map, dear."

"Yes! Please do!" Angel's friend's that were seated on either side of her blinked at her out of character outburst. Redolence herself was half-kidding when she said she would explain the entire map but seeing her audience so eager to learn she decided to go along with it.

"Very well. If you would all follow me..." The mature pokémon led them to the other side of the room and drew their attention to a vacant part of the black board. Picking up a small, narrow, fragile-looking stone, she began her lesson.

First, she drew one large circle and then eighteen smaller circles that ran around the larger one's outer circumference. "These smaller circles represent the many realms. Each Type has its own. Clockwise from the top: Water, Grass, Fairy, Normal, Flying, Electric, Dragon, Fire, Rock, Ground, Dark, Ghost, Poison, Bug, Psychic, Fighting, Steel and Ice. Each of them are connected to the mainland which is this larger circle here."

"Except the Psychic Realm. Being a floating and all."

"That's right, Angel. Where did you learn that?" Certainly not from the learning complex, Redolence reasoned. That usually limited its teachings the Fairy Realm, the conjoining Brilliant Meadow and the Pokémon Settlement. Young pokémon had no business learning about the other realms because it was a rule that they can't leave until adulthood and an even bigger one that a pokémon couldn't enter a realm it didn't belong to without a very good reason.

"I read it in a book." Angel motioned with her hand towards the Fragrance Pokémon. "Please, continue."

Seeing she wasn't getting a better explanation than that at the moment, Redolence shrugged and returned to her lesson. She drew another circle halfway into the larger circle. This is the Pokémon Settlement. It's a gathering of all kinds of pokémon and has a higher population than any of the realms and is the cornerstone of the world's commerce."

Redolence then motioned to the remaining space of the larger circle which now looked like a wheel, what with 'Pokémon Settlement' circle in it. "This is the mainland, it spans around the entirety of the settlement and is home to the many, MANY wild pokémon." Redolence drew lines to divide that section into twelve parts, though they weren't all equal.

"The mainland is identified by its many climates: Still Lake, which leads into the Water Realm." She drew a connecting line from that divided section of the big circle to the top small circle and continued to do this as she listed the other locations. "The Brilliant Meadow, which have routes that lead into the Fairy, Grass and Normal Realms. Tempest Peaks which leads to both the Flying and Electric Realms. Volcanic Summit which leads to the Dragon and Fire Realms. Seismic Highland which leads to the Rock and Ground Realms. Twilight Forest to the Dark Realm. Spectral Forest to the Ghost Realm. Damp Everglade to the Poison Realm. Swarm Forest to the Bug Realm. Spirit Peaks to the Fighting Realm. It also used to lead to the Psychic Realm but you know what happened there... Rugged Peaks to the Steel Realm and finally, the Blizzard Peaks which leads into the Ice Realm." Joining the last line to the corresponding realm, the Aromatisse put down the chalk and dusted her hands off.

Looking back, Redolence was pleased to find that Angel had taken out a parchment and used her hand which was tipped with a black substance to draw herself a copy of the map.

Sylvia herself was still looking at the map on the black board and was amazed at the vast locations the world offered. So many possibilities, she thought. "Have you been to all these places, Miss Redolence?"

"Heavens, no. Just the Pokémon Settlement. I don't really have any business visiting the other realms or other locations for that matter. I learned about all the other locations through written research and stories I heard during my own trips to the settlement."

"Score one for research." Angel got up and used her psychic power effortlessly pack her stuff back into her bag."

"Well then... Satisfied?"

All three of the young fairies nodded their heads. Very satisfied indeed. "Thank you for everything, Redolence. We'll be taking our leave now." Gallant bowed to the older pokémon in gratitude and he and his friends made their to the exit.

"Bye now. If you need anything else, you know where to find me." With her three little visitors gone, Redolence made her way back into one of the rooms to resume her work.

A wonderful thing youth was, Redolence thought. A wonderful thing, indeed...

* * *

 

END CHAPTER


	3. To The Settlement

* * *

 

The sun had just begun to set over the horizon, marking the end of business hours for some and the day entirely for others. The sky of the Fairy Realm was now tinted a bright orange, casting upon the land a dim glow. Pokémon young and old alike shuffled out of the multiple establishments with home as their new destination. The time for three youths, however, was still being spent in that familiar secluded clearing, discussing issues of severe importance.

"Sorry, Gallant but I'll have to disagree with you there." Sylvia kept a stern expression fixated on her male friend.

"I agree. Though I'm not entirely with Sylvia on this, I'm afraid I share different sentiments."

"You guys don't know what you're talking about. Anyone with good sense would definitely agree with me on this."

"There isn't enough proof to support your claim. You're just going on a personal opinion."

"It isn't a personal opinion. It's a fact."

"The pink, flower-topped poképuffs are the best, Gallant! The way those morsels just melt on your tongue backed by that delicious after-taste left behind by the flavored cream just sells it!" Sylvia would not be deterred from her argument.

"Biting into the sweet minty toppings of the green poképuffs and the cool but welcoming breeze they leave in your mouth thereafter surely leaves nothing to be desired." Gallant defended his favorite flavor of their favorite treat.

"I feel the delicious smoothness of the chocolate deluxe poképuffs and the soft creamy decorate it's dressed with easily makes it an obvious favorite."Angel folded her arms and stood her ground as well.

"It's obvious that we won't come to an understanding on this so the subject may as well be changed."

"..."

"..."

Now that the argument had been quelled, the three found that there really wasn't much left to talk about. They had pretty much spent the entire day together, returning to this very spot after their eventful trip to Redolence's. Subjects both as serious as Gallant's trip to the settlement and trivial as the poképuff discussion had been covered. With nothing going on any more, the obvious decision was made.

"It's getting late. Maybe we should get back to our homes before our families start to worry..." Angel got up from her seat on the ground and stretched. "Besides, since you're going on that expedition tomorrow, you need all the rest you can get, Gallant."

"That's right. We wouldn't want a Fearow getting a lucky hit because you're too fatigued to fight." Sylvia manipulated one of her ribbons to look like a pointed corkscrew and poked it at Gallant's chest. "Fearow used Drill Peck."

"Stop that." Gallant lightly tapped the offending ribbon off him and stood up. "I'll be fine. I've stayed up later than this with no ill consequences. Though, I appreciate the concern, thank you. I'll be taking my leave then... Goodnight, you two."

"Goodnight, Gallant."

"Later, dude."

With a nod to the both of them, the male Kirlia took his leave from the clearing.

"We should be getting back, ourselves. Mom will throw a fit if I get home any later than I already am." Angel and Sylvia were both already making their way out of the clearing themselves.

"Then until tomorrow. Have a goodnight, Angel." Sylvia reached around and gave her friend a hug.

"Yeah. You too, Sylvia." Angel replied as she returned the gesture. With that done, the both of them parted ways with a similar goal in mind.

Now out in the open, the remaining Kirlia sighed and started to make her own way home. It had been quite an eventful day, she thought. The one of a kind book she had acquired from the library, her battle alongside Sylvia, the time spent together with her friends, Gallant's news about him going to the Pokémon Settlement and even that impromptu lesson from Redolence. Indeed, the day couldn't have gone better...

Walking a little while longer, she came to a stop in front of the very familiar building. It was a fairly large framework, cube shaped with a connecting smaller structure jutting from the left wall. Several decorative pots with assorted flowers growing from them lay strewn around the lawn. The rectangular sign mounted at the top of the domicile read 'Sana's Ceramic Store.' Sana being the owner of the store and also her mother.

"I'm home." Angel closed the door behind her and looked around the room. The immediate area was an obvious shop front. There was a counter ahead of her where all the business got done and the shelves on either side of the room held many neatly displayed products. Ceramic plates, ceramic bowls, ceramic pots... Just about anything a pokémon would want to decorate their house with or eat their meals from. Finally, there was a door behind the counter which led to their bedroom. Off limits to clients, of course. "Mom?"

A door to her left opened up and out walked a Gardevoir but looking a little different from others. First being that she had blue 'hair', blue arms, an amber chest protrusion and amber eyes, the rest of her body being white. She was shiny just like her daughter. The other difference being...

"You're all messy again. That job must really get irritating at times." Angel pointed at all the colored patches that had yet to dry on the Embrace Pokémon's body.

"Well when you spend all day making ceramic products, this tends to happen a lot." Sana used her psychic power to lift all the plaster off her body, combining it into one and tossing it in a nearby trash bin, leaving her in pristine condition. "Good evening, Angel." The older pokémon beckoned her daughter over.

Angel smiled, running up to give her mother a hug. "Hey, Mom. How was your day?"

"Same as always, really. Making business transactions and getting myself covered in gunk in the process. I assume yours was eventful? I hadn't seen you all day since you left this morning... Did you get that book you wanted?"

"Yes." Angel separated herself from her mother and reached into her bag, pulling out the book of legendary lore. "Tada!"

"Fascinating." Sana hovered the book up to her level. "Where did you even learn of this book?"

"From Miss Flora. Who learned it from Miss Jubilee." Since Angel had always been fond of reading, she had been Flora's most frequent client. The young Kirlia had read her way through many books that the Floette had eventually told her that if there was a type of book she was interested in but couldn't be found in the library, she was allowed to make a custom order. So she did. Week after week Jubilee, who made the orders for them, would always check in the settlement's own archives and relay to Flora what kind of books were available at the time who would then relay to Angel who would go on to make the order for any books she would be interested in. When news of a book that depicted the legendary pokémon reached Angel, she made the order right away and in time, she finally had it. "Speaking of... They extend their greetings."

"Oh? Why thank you, Angel. I'll be sure to visit them sometime... Is this what you've been reading all day?" Sana flipped threw a few of the pages, a little intrigued herself, though she already knew some of its information.

"Oh no. Sylvia showed up." Of course. "She had me escort her to the Life Tree. Then she took me to the Training Hold so we could see Gallant." Uh huh. "We had lunch together. Then Gallant took us on errands so he could make preparations for his trip to the Pokémon Settlement." Wait what? "Then we-"

"Young Gallant is going to the Pokémon Settlement? When?"

"Tomorrow morning. According to him, he and other male Kirlia are going to the settlement led by their training instructor to request Dawn Stones." Sana simply blinked at the news before breaking into a smile.

"My, my! How fascinating! Your little friend is on the road to becoming a defender of the realm, is he? Exciting news indeed!" Sana clasped her hands in front her and swayed her upper body side to side.

"Mom?"

"That would also make him an eligible suitor, would it not? I imagine he will be able to turn a few young ladies' heads."

Angel just blinked at that. "No other pokémon are in our egg group, though. There's a very limited amount of pokémon he can marry here."

"Indeed." Sana looked at her daughter who just cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"Huh?" The implication flew right over head... She was still impossibly innocent. Oh well, for another day... Probably like years in the future.

"Come now, Angel." The Gardevoir gave the book back to her daughter and led her toward the back room. "Dinner has already been prepared."

* * *

 

Dinner was good, just like it always was. Roasted Sitrus and Oran berries with a few chocolate deluxe poképuffs for dessert. The cooking structure in the center of the room was simple but efficient. A circular hole, one meter diameter, was grafted into the ground so that when firewood was placed in it along with the cooking pot on top, the entire thing remained at ground level. It was to keep accidental fires at an extreme minimum. Angel couldn't use fire moves herself but her mother had access to Will o Wisp. The bedroom overall was rather cozy with it simple design of two beds and layers of shelves on every wall that supported their belongings. Currently, the two residents lay on their sleeping cushions with Angel on her own smaller one while Sana rested on her larger one. Larger not only because of their size difference but because it was originally shared.

Knight, Sana's husband and Angel's father was originally a part of their abode before he left to live in the Pokémon Settlement. Hard at work there and a professional at what he does. He was a defender of the settlement among many other soldiers and also acted as a diplomatic bridge between the Fairy Realm and the Fighting Realm. His endeavors allowed them to be distant allies and earned him a second home in the Fighting Realm. It also brought more money to the Fairy Realm and vice versa. Because of all the Florges living here, the Fairy Realm could provide all kinds of crops, some of which couldn't be found anywhere else. The Fighting Realm itself was responsible for all the equipment and regimens in the Training Hold. As anyone would gladly tell, the partnership has been a successful one.

"When do you think dad will pay us a visit again?" Angel asked from her spot. The last time she had seen him was when she had just evolved into a Kirlia.

"Soon, I hope. Been missing him, huh?"

Angel tiredly nodded her head.

"Yeah... So do I..." Sana patted the vacant spot on her bed. Knight ritually sent letters to them on how things were going or just to say hello to his beloved family but it wasn't as good as him actually being there with them. He sent money too, though it wasn't really that necessary as Sana had a successful business of her own here in the realm.

"Do you think maybe we can write a letter to him? You know, see how he's doing?"

"Would you like too?"

Angel gave her mother another nod.

Sana sat up on her bed and smiled at her daughter. "Then we shall do just that. Come on over."

Angel got off her bed and walked towards her mother's, picking up her previously discarded bag in the process. Sitting next to her mom, she pulled out a small parchment and a bottle filled with a black substance. Sana herself presented a quill she had 'borrowed' from a flying type when she was in the Brilliant Meadow a little while back. With that, the two pokémon begun to write their letter...

* * *

 

Fairy Realm, the next day - Main Entrance

A new day marked new opportunities, they said. What with the realm's residents making their way to their business establishments, ready to roll in the cash to support themselves and their entire community. For five young pokémon, however, that satement could not be more true. A gentle breeze wafted through the area near the Fairy Realm's main route as the gathered Kirlia waited for their supervisor to show up, eager to begin a journey that would hopefully end in their evolution. This is the day they had all been waiting for. There was just one problem...

"Where's Edge? He said for us to meet him here bright and early."

"I woke up like two hours ago. If I knew he'd be late, I'd still be cuddling my Teddiursa doll."

"You still sleep with that thing?"

"Helps me relax, okay?"

"Fine, fine. Seriously, though... We've been out here for like..."

"Half an hour."

"Yeah, half an hour. Why is it that we're more punctual than him?"

"You'd think he would the first to show up."

"I know right? What, did he have a late night?"

"Maybe. I heard he's seeing one of the Gardevoir from the Training Hold."

"Think he's getting the good stuff, huh?"

"Well he doesn't always battle. All that extra energy's gotta go somewhere, know what I mean?"

There was a collective laugh among the group. The problem with having a crowd of males in one place...

"Sounds like you're all having a good morning." A new, much more mature sounding voice spoke from right in front of them and they all canned it with the laughter. Seems their supervisor had teleported in some time during their laughter. "What's with the commotion?"

"Gallant told us a joke."

"Damn it, Valor..."

"Oh?" The Gallade smirked down at the now agitated Kirlia. "Must be one heck of a joke. Let's hear it, Galla-"

"I didn't tell a joke. Let's drop it." Gallant glared at his friend.

Their captain, Edge, just stared at the small group and sighed. Ever since he was anointed to be their training instructor, he found they always got into these kind of squabbles. This is how it always was with the trainees he committed himself to. Sure they were exceptional and hard working fighters but they were boys first. It sometimes got to the point that a fight would break out just because their eyes met. Oh well... No time for reminiscing. He was here now and their trip would begin shortly.

The Gallade cleared his throat, getting the attention of everyone there. "Valor, Gallant, Resolute, Intrepid, Stalwart. I'm glad you could all make the trip. I gather you all planned accordingly like I asked?" A collective nod. "Good. Let's hear what you have. Valor?"

The Kirlia named Valor, identifiable by the muscle band he wore around is waist stepped forward and presented his green bag to the older pokémon. "I brought five Sitrus Berries, a Cheri Berry, and two Pecha Berries."

"Very nice. Gallant?"

Gallant opened his bag and showed its contents. "Three Salac Berries, three Leichi Berries and salves I got from Redolence that heal wounds, attract pokémon and repel pokémon. You don't have to worry about that second one, though. It's for regrouping purposes only."

"Excellent. Resolute?"

The pokémon with the red bag stepped forward and told of his supplies. "Ten Oran Berries, five Chesto Berries and a smoke ball I had ordered from the settlement."

"Great." Edge nodded at the next Kirlia, Intrepid.

The Kirlia with a twisted spoon hanging from a chain around his neck stepped forward. "Five Leichi Berries, three Salac Berries, three Petaya Berries and five Roseli Berries."

Edge simply stared at Intrepid for a moment. "Roseli Berries? What in the world for?"

"Nothing. I just like eating them."

The Gallade just shook his head before moving on to the final Kirlia. "Let's hear it, Stalwart."

The final pokémon with the purple bag rummaged through his bag for a moment. "A focus sash, two Apicot Berreis, two Ganlon Berries and five Sitrus Berries."

Edge nodded to himself. They did a good job in collecting resources considering the small window of planning he gave them and the fact that there wasn't much for them to choose from for the time being. "Very good, all of you. I, myself, brought us supplies for this trip. Sitrus Berries, Pecha Berries, Chesto Berries, Cheri Berries and Salac Berries, all twenty in quantity. I also brought along a little pick-me-up popular with many hard-hitting pokémon like myself." Their instructor opened the white bag he wore at his waist and pulled out a white and blue striped cloth. "Can anyone of you tell me what this is?"

"Choice scarf." They all answered at the same time like the trained students they were.

"I don't fully understand why but it boosts one's speed with the drawback of forcing you to use only one attack as long as you have it on." Valor explained but wondered how exactly it worked.

"Oh? So you've seen one before?" Edge asked, impressed.

"Only in a battle item catalogue we borrowed from the library. It's what led me to order this twisted spoon, personally." Intrepid fiddled with the twisted spoon that hung under his neck.

"It's also where I learned about my muscle band." Valor informed.

"And my focus sash." Stalwart added on.

"I see. Looks like you five have been doing your homework. If you keep up like this, our trip shouldn't be much of a hassle. Hopefully if things go smoothly, I won't be forced to wear this." Edge grinned at his class. They had always been trying hard not just to impress him but also to further their own knowledge and strength. It was good to know that their motivation did not stem from the simple desire of evolution. He was proud of them.

"Hey, come on, Intrepid... Don't hog the Roseli Berries!"

"It's not my fault you didn't think to bring any of your own, now hands off before you force me to lay a smack down on you!"

"That a challenge, tough guy?"

"No, because a challenge would suggest you have what it takes to stand up to me!"

Edge's left eye twitched a little but he remained composed. "That's enough, both of you." Edge grabbed the Roseli Berries from the youths with his psychic power and placed them in his bag. "You'll get these back later. I need you all to stay focused. Clear?"

The gathered trainees all nodded their heads, though two of them weren't happy about it.

"Good. Now that preparations are out of the way, we can-" Edge's sentence was cut short as a blue haired Kirlia appeared before him in a flash. She looked around a little before spotting her query.

"Gallant!" The young female Kirlia walked up to him in haste.

"Angel?" The male Kirlia was honestly surprised that his friend had suddenly shown up like this. Was she here to see him off?

"Um... Hi... Um..." Angel held up a small rolled up parchment tied with a red ribbon. "Listen... Could you please, you know, since you're going to the settlement... Could you please deliver this letter to the postal center for me?"

Gallant looked at the offered piece of paper for a second before taking it from her. "Sure, Angel. No problem." He gave his friend a smile.

"Thanks, Gallant." Angel returned the smile. Though, it was short-lived when she found that all eyes were on her. Starting to feel nervous, she thought it best that she left right away. "OkaybyeGallantseeyouwhenyougethome!" And with another bright flash, she was gone.

Gallant gazed upon the place Angel had been a second ago before shrugging and placing her letter in his bag.

"That sure is a lively friend you've got there, Gallant." Edge commented.

"I wouldn't call her 'lively', really. She just cracks like that under pressure." Gallant looked back up and saw his friends smirking back at him. His horns started to glow. "Violence promised upon whoever makes a stupid comment."

Feeling provoked instead of threatened, all his friends' horns started to glow as well.

"Violence promised upon anyone that starts a fight on my watch." Seriously, they should save it for the wild pokémon or something.

All of them instantly ceased their tomfoolery, not wanting to invoke the Gallade's wrath.

Seeing his students now behaved, Edge walked passed them and towards the wide route that would lead them to the Brilliant Meadow.

"Let's go."

All playfulness replaced with seriousness, the trainees followed their training instructor out of the Fairy Realm.

* * *

 

Brilliant Meadow - Fairy Realm Entrance/Exit

The meadow was as spacious as he remembered it and that term was a severe understatement. The vast grassland was as high as his waist and spanned for miles ahead of him. Flowers grew en masse and bloomed majestically across the massive field. It had to have been the largest ecosystem he had ever seen. There were tall trees that he could see from his height many kilometers far to the east but that was not their destination. If Edge and his group kept moving forward at a relatively fast pace, they would reach the settlement by night fall.

"Is everyone here?" Edge called out behind him.

"I'm here."

"So am I."

"Present."

"Right here."

"I can't see a thing."

"Don't worry. A path ahead will open up shortly. It will lead us straight to the Pokémon Settlement. For now just stick close to me."

Edge and his crew carried on walking for about ten more minutes before the tall grass cleared away to reveal a dirt road that sloped upwards ever so slightly. The thing stretched out for a few miles and was wide enough that the Blade Pokémon and his students could stand side by side and there would still be more than enough space left.

Edge turned around and addressed his students. "This is the path I mentioned earlier. If we stick to it, we should reach the settlement before it gets too dark. As you might have heard, the Brilliant Meadow is home to many pokémon of the field and flying egg groups. Wild pokémon tend to not show themselves in the open like this, however, so risks of an attack are at a minimum."

"Aw man, really? I need something live to practice my moves on." Valor said, disappointed.

"Yeah. We certainly don't train ourselves to exhaustion for no reason. I thought you said this trip was a test to see if we had what it takes to handle the responsibilities that came with our evolution." Intrepid backed his friend up.

Edge nodded. That certainly was a good argument. But it did not mean he was willing to carelessly throw them in the face of danger. "I admire your spirit but you don't always need to get into a fight to prove something to someone. Besides, it's like I said. No pokémon would attack us on this open path even if we wanted a fight."

At that very moment, a Zangoose flew out of from the tall grass to their right and hit the ground hard in front of them. The thing was covered in scratches, bruises and was in generally poor condition. It struggled to its feet, claws bared and looked around itself in alarm as if expecting something to happen. In an instant, a Seviper jumped out from the grass the Zangoose had appeared from, blood red fangs bared and attempting to go for the kill.

The Zangoose glared defiantly at its assailant. With fury in its eyes, it took a lighting quick swipe with its sharp claws, catching it dead center, dividing its body in two and sending its crimson fluids all over the ground as well as some on itself. It wasn't over, however, as a second Seviper leaped from the grass behind the Zangoose and sunk its fangs into its right leg. The Cat Ferret Pokémon cried out and raised its right claw, intending to put an end to its enemy. Unfortunately for it, a third Seviper took that opportunity to leap out from its hiding spot and bite into its raised arm. Wincing, the Zangoose dropped to its knees and two more Seviper were upon it, red fangs at the ready. The two snakes coiled around its vulnerable body, anchoring their large pointed teeth into the Normal type's side and finally, its neck. The bloodied cat ferret fell onto its back, struggling for a while before its body was still forever.

Although Edge kept a straight face, his students' expressions told a whole different story. Shock was clearly present on their faces, not expecting to see such a cruel display of violence one pokémon enacted on another. So these were the wild pokémon they heard so much about... Was this how they all behaved? Like bloodthirsty monsters?

"Focus everyone! They're coming for us next." Edge extended his elbow blades and took on a battle stance.

Snapping out of their stupor, the Kirlia all followed their teacher's lead and took on battle ready stances as well. They split into smaller groups. Gallant and Valor paired together, Resolute and Intrepid on a team and finally, Edge and Stalwart as the final duo. Each of them stood their ground as the incredibly hostile Fang Snake Pokémon made threatening hissing sounds at them. It appeared they no longer cared for their previous foe, making it look like they only killed the Zangoose simply because they could and they were next if they didn't get their act together.

The first Seviper wasted no time in throwing itself at Gallant. Said Kirlia narrowed his eyes. As he was still a fairy type, he couldn't afford to be hit by any poison attacks and coming from a pokémon like Seviper, it would spell certain doom.

Gallant's horns glowed bright and he channeled as much energy as he could in his small window of opportunity. Thrusting his arm forward, he expelled the accumulated energy directly at the purple snake who couldn't dodge from its position in mid-air. The Psychic attack was successful, completely repelling the hostile snake and sending it flying a few meters back. The snake wasn't done, though. Getting back up the moment it hit the ground, the Seviper hissed at them and slithered towards them at an alarmingly fast rate. Gallant and Valor fired wave after wave of psychic energy at their fast approaching foe but found it nearly impossible to hit with its zig-zagging maneuvers. Their attacks did nothing but kick up dust.

"Plan B?" Valor asked.

"Plan B!" His partner confirmed.

Valor teleported in front of Gallant, making himself the primary target. The Seviper didn't mind either way. When it was done with this one, it would move onto the next, simple as that. With another cruel baring of its fangs, it leaped forward, intending to end the Kirlia's life... And rammed face first into a large rock, its world exploding in pain. A piece of the ground had been uprooted by Gallant's psychic power and went unforeseen by the Seviper due to its fixation on Valor who had teleported to safety at the last second. The snake got back up, head ringing and seeing stars. The pair of fighters decided to finish it off by sending simultaneous psychic blasts from either side of it that struck it like a vice, pulverizing its skull and killing it instantly.

The two Kirlia smirked at one another. Walking up to each other, they gave a spin for a moment and gave each other a high-five over the snake's carcass.

Things on the other side also seemed to be going well. Resolute and Intrepid's horns glowed bright as they used their combined psychic power to hold down a Seviper and lay waste to its mind using strong telekinetic energy. It hissed in agony for a good while before it fell over, unmoving. Edge and Stalwart wrapped things up on their end as well with Stalwart levitating their target into the air and the Gallade dealing the final blow, sending a purple crescent-shaped projectile that severed it at its center.

The team looked to the fifth and final Seviper that quickly weighed its options. Deciding that a five to one fight was madness, the Fang Snake Pokémon quickly tried to withdraw into the tall grass.

"I don't think so." Edge was upon it at once. He teleported right on top of it, right leg pressed upon its body to keep it from moving. Raising his arm high, he swung it back down with a force that was accompanied by a purple flash which beheaded the final Seviper. The Gallade watched as its headless body continued to flail side to side for a while before addressing his students. "These things sometimes attack in hordes. If you let one escape, it will be back with more. Remember that."

His students all nodded as they watched their leader intently. "Looks like that guy learned the hard way." Stalwart motioned to the dead Zangoose in the middle of the road.

"That's a Zangoose. A mortal enemy of Seviper. When they meet, a fight will break out. Not can... Will. This one was unfortunate enough to stumble upon a horde of them. Let us press on lest we risk meeting a similar fate. You all did a very good job but please keep your guard up, everyone." Edge motioned down the road, this time letting them pass by him so he could walk behind them where he had a better eye on his students.

Hopefully, there wouldn't be anymore dangerous encounters...

"So what was that about pokémon not attacking us?"

"Don't crack wise."

Fairy Realm - Secluded Spot

"So let me get this straight... Dialga's existence is what keeps time flowing?"

"Right."

"And Palkia's own existence is what keeps everything in order? Space, you called it?"

"That's correct."

"But they live in separate dimensions, not so?"

"That's what it says in the book."

"So then why does Arceus need to keep an eye on them? On that topic, why would they want to fight at all? Are they selfish enough to disregard existence just to get in a scuffle?"

Angel thought about the question for a moment before giving her answer. "I suppose Arceus monitors them in order to keep the balance of time and space intact... As for why they would act hostile to each other... Hmmm... Maybe it's the simple fact that they are both dragons. Dragons are always known for fighting over territory. So when they meet, it's natural hostility. There's also the obvious issue of what would happen if they were assaulted or, Arceus forbid, ended up fighting in our world and tearing things up."

Angel and Sylvia had met each other a little after Gallant and his team had left. They had gone to the food stands yet again to purchase those irresistible poképuffs, Sylvia gladly buying this time around. Upon the large flat rock that had become a make-shift meeting table lay the 'History of the Legendary Pantheon'. Since it was just them, they decided to pass the time by finally taking a more in depth look into the book that talked of the many legendary pokémon than they did the first day Angel got it. Both girls sat by each other and were currently reading through the section that spoke of what was known as 'The Creation Trio'.

"That does sound plausible." Sylvia rubbed her chin with a ribbon, thinking over Angel's given explanation. "But what if there's more to it than that? What if there's another reason for them to behave the way they do? Do you think Arceus had not foreseen their shared hostility? Maybe there was some kind of misunderstanding and Arceus punished them both, causing like some kind of rivalry. Ya know, like kids or something..."

Angel looked at her friend in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out. Her very explanation of them fighting like children sounded ridiculous and she wanted to say as much but she kept stopping herself because of the question at the back of her mind: What if Sylvia was right?

An image of a toddler Dialga and Palkia crying over the last poképuff suddenly assaulted her mind. Darn it, Sylvia. Shaking her head, Angel gave her friend a deadpan look. "I don't think I want to believe that."

"Sounds crazy, huh? I think so too now that I've actually thought about it."

'You and me both,' Angel thought. "By the way. This guy." Angel turned the page to show a section that talked about the Renegade Pokémon. There was no image of it, showing that even the author didn't know what it looked like as well. All the page had was the facts.

"Giratina..." Angel read from the top. "This legendary ghost/dragon pokémon was known as a destructive force of nature in its time and is said to have been so violent that it was banished by Arceus to what is known as the Distortion World. A hellish realm said ignore all fabrics of time and space. A dimension of lawlessness and emptiness where no pokémon would ever want to end up. It is said that long ago, before its time of banishment, it ruled over the Ghost Realm and brought ruin to all that approached it."

"Sounds like a guy you can trust."

Angel looked up and stared at her friend funny. "No it doesn't. It says right here that... Oh... That was a joke..." Angels cheeks turned rosy and she bowed her head so Sylvia couldn't see her face.

Sylvia just smiled at her friend's embarrassment but said nothing, not wanting to fluster her anymore than she already was. Looking back down at the book, she could only imagine what kind of a menace this Giratina was that it would take Arceus' direct action to dispose of him. Well 'dispose' may not be the right word. Put him in permanent time out? Yeah, she'll go with that. "From what it sounds like, it's a good thing that this guy got banished. Who knows how much trouble he would be causing if he was still running around?"

Angel finally but slowly looked back up. "Y-yeah. Things are bad enough with those two stirring up trouble. Tornadus and Thundurus."

"Ah. Those guys." The Sylveon closed her eyes in thought. "Say... You notice how almost all of them like have another legendary watching over them or keeping them in line? The legendary birds have Lugia. The legendary beasts have Ho-Oh. Thundurus and Tornadus have Landorus. Even the... Temporal? Even the temporal dragons have their daddy watching over them."

Angel really wished she wouldn't undermine the legendary pokémon like that even if she couldn't really disprove her theories. "Only a select few like that one called Jirachi seem to have no affiliates." Sylvia laid down on her side and breathed a sigh of content. "The grass is so soft and warm here..."

Angel was still at her book, looking over the legendary pokémon that fascinated her most. Mew for starters. This one had an image provided. It appeared to be a bipedal feline-like creature with pink fur. It was noted on the page that the author his or herself had only seen it once and went on to say in a trivial comment that they had never seen it land from its levitating position. It had a very long tail and Angel noted that it was quite adorable. She read along the page that it possessed immeasurable power and that surprised her. This little thing? She was bigger than it was. Was it an overstatement? Or was it really the truth that this small pokémon indeed had the power to sunder mountains?

"Mmm... A little more toppings, please..."

Angel looked down at her slumbering friend and smiled. She did look rather cute when not getting up in everyone's business, she admitted. Seeing the Sylveon look so peaceful caused her to yawn as well. A little nap wouldn't hurt, she supposed. She had the whole day ahead of her, after all so her reading could continue a little later...

"Darn it, Sylvia..." Angel laid her head on the ground next to her friend, using her book as a substitute pillow and just like that, she was ready to be whisked away into the dream world. "You're always dragging me... Into these things..."

* * *

 

END CHAPTER

 


	4. Equal Opportunity

* * *

 

Brilliant Meadow - Noon.

Things had been going relatively well for the traveling group. It was true that the straight open path kept them from running into any hostilities barring that Seviper incident. Indeed, wild pokémon tend to not expose themselves in the open especially when they really had no motivation to, making the trip mostly uneventful. Unfortunately, this also made the trip fairly boring which is why Edge and his students had engaged in a little trivia game to pass the time.

"Alright, here's another one. I boost the damage output of all offensive attacks but I'm hazardous to the holder's health. What am I?"

"Life orb." Valor gave his quick reply.

Edge nodded. "Mm-hm. Alright, I'm a special seal that stimulates your body and puts it into overdrive when hit by an attack you're weak to. What am I?"

"Weakness policy." Stalwart answered this time.

Edge smiled at one of his students giving yet another correct answer. That battle item catalogue they got from the library seemed to be getting pretty good use. Maybe he should up the difficulty of the questions a little. "Okay how's this... I'm a special jewel that raises the strength of both dragon and steel type attacks. What am I?"

All his students looked back at him but kept walking forward. Never had they heard of such a thing even in the informative catalogue they had. An item that boosts the power of two types at once? Did such a thing even exist or was their instructor just pulling their legs?

"Did you make that up?" Gallant finally asked.

"Not at all."

The group of male Kirlia looked at one another in confusion. They didn't have anything in mind that matched the description that their instructor gave. Was it an item so new that it hadn't yet been recorded in books? Or perhaps a dangerous item that no one talked about? Or maybe even a one of a kind item that someone stumbled upon and Edge had only learned of through the berry vine himself?

"Alright, we give up. What is that?" Intrepid was the one to speak up this time.

"It's an Adamant Orb." Edge simply said.

"Sounds made up."

"It does."

"Too over the top for it to be original."

"I already said that it isn't made up."

Gallant looked back at him again. "Okay. So how do you know what it is if it's so hidden that no one else does?"

Edge closed his eyes. "I'm an adult. I know a lot of stuff." That... wasn't a very good answer. "Seriously, though, it's a special item that was created by Arceus and given to the legendary Dialga to boost its power to near invincibility... Or something like that. Truth be told, I don't have much information on it either. All I know is that it exists. Heard about it from a few expository travelers here and there. Their stories all had consistency which was proof enough for me."

"Who's Dialga?" Resolute asked the question that was on everyone's mind and Edge was more than happy to answer that.

"He's-"

"-A legendary Dragon and Steel type pokémon. He's one of the first pokémon to be created by Arceus and is the embodiment of time itself. Said to live in another dimension parallel to ours or something." Gallant smirked at his superior who just looked at him in surprise along with his peers. He answered their question but that just raised others.

"That's astounding. Where did you learn that, Gallant?"

"A friend's book." It was obvious who this friend was.

"That girl, Angel, right?" Valor questioned his friend.

"Yeah, Angel. She got this book that has heavy details about the many legendary pokémon. I would ask to borrow it but it's more likely that she steps into this very meadow by herself than letting me have it."

"Maybe there's another one in the library we can borrow? If there are time-controlling dragons running around in different dimensions, I'd want to know about them too." Intrepid played with his twisted spoon out of habit.

Gallant shook his head. "Not likely. According to Angel, that book she has is a one of a kind. According to Jubilee, only one was ever distributed and she got it first. Does it all the time."

Valor blinked and faced his friend. "Sounds like she reads even more books than Flora and that's no small feat. She must be well informed."

"Understatement... Although she didn't appear to know what this is." Gallant gestured to his muscle band. "So I'm assuming she doesn't have much interest when it comes to battles. Preferences, I guess. Everyone has 'em."

"It didn't look that way to me yesterday. Your friend seems to be able to handle herself quite well even if I rarely see her in the Training Hold and when I do, it's not to train." Edge was one of the supervising pokémon around that morning when Angel and Sylvia visited and it was obvious to him that the female Kirlia was not an amateur battler.

Gallant shrugged. He knew that Angel's lessons came directly from her mother since she preferred not to hang around lots of pokémon but they didn't know that and it wasn't his business to tell them about his friend's private life. "Guess she just has a natural talent."

The group was silent again, the only sounds coming from their marching feet. A little distance ahead, they could see where the meadow stopped and a forest begun. On the other side was the Pokémon Settlement but it was still quite a trek away.

"Hey Edge... What's the Pokémon Settlement like?" Valor decided to break the silence.

The Gallade thought on that for a moment before answering. "It's a lot like our own realm, really. Difference being its much larger size to accommodate all the kinds of pokémon that live there. The settlement by itself has a larger population than any of the realms. Not combined, of course. It's the source of all the trade networks the realms have with each other. When a requisition is made, it passes through the Pokémon Settlement first and then the order is sent of to the respective realm. For example, when we make our requisition for Dawn Stones, it will be processed and sent out to the Steel, Earth or Rock Realms since the Rugged Peaks and Seismic Highlands are known for having the most deposits of minerals. Then in time, the Dawn Stones will be sent to the settlement and that's where Jubilee comes in."

Edge looked at his students who kept walking forward but paid close attention to him, occasionally looking back. Seeing this, he continued. "The Pokémon Settlement itself is protected by a high wall that surrounds its entirety in a closed circle. I mean a really high wall. We're talking 'straining your eyes just to see the top' type of high. Incredibly fortified too such that even many legendary pokémon would have trouble breaking in. The only way into the settlement is through a series of eight gates located in specific locations around the wall." The Gallade started to motion with his arms. "The North Gate, accessible through Still Lake, the North East Gate through the Brilliant Meadow, the East Gate through Tempest Peaks, the South East Gate through the Volcanic Summit, the South Gate through the Seismic Highlands, the South West Gate accessible through the Spectral Forest, the East Gate which is accessible through both Swarm Forest and Spirit Peaks and finally, the North East Gate accessible from both the Spirit Peaks and Rugged Peaks."

"What if someone tries to fly in from the top?" Gallant asked.

"There are Porygon-Z sentries and flying type scouts situated on top of the wall and will shoot intruders down. The gates themselves are always closed and are operated by the Klinklang line. It's all pretty secured. Trying to force your way into the settlement makes you an enemy of every pokémon in there and you don't want that."

The Kirlia all looked at each other. "Sounds like a serious place. Like a stronghold or something." Gallant finally said.

"Don't fret, you'll be fine. As long as you don't misbehave so please keep your youthful competitiveness to yourselves." Edge said firmly.

"Yes, sir." The young pokémon replied.

Edge nodded and continued his description of their destination. "The inner part of the settlement has two circular layers of buildings. The outer layer which is composed of the main housings of the pokémon that live there and the inner layer, where all business centers are located like the Postal Service and other shops like the Stone Emporium or Berry Market. In the center of it all lies Apex Lake. It's a mon-made lake, drilled right through the world all the way into the ocean and serves as the resting place and means of transportation for the water types that take up residence in the settlement. That's the gist of it."

Finished with his lesson, Edge looked back up and was pleased to find that they had passed enough time that the forest area was now right in front of them.

"Okay. Here, everyone. Eat a Sitrus Berry." The Gallade used his psychic power to open his bag and float five Sitrus Berries to his students and eating one himself. "These are so you all stay in top form and hydrated. We still have a ways to go but if we keep pressing on like this we'll get to the Pokémon Settlement without much trouble. Let's proceed but please be on your guard."

His students all nodded to him and with that, the six pokémon all entered the forest towards their destination.

* * *

 

Fairy Realm - Life Tree

Angel delivered yet another Dazzling Gleam upon her unidentifiable foes, lighting up the entire garden and vanquishing them instantly. She didn't know when or how things got this bad. One minute, she's slumbering with her friend, Sylvia and the next moment these things invaded, forcing them to flee to the Life Tree and were now fighting for their lives against the sudden onslaught of enemies. She didn't know what they were, what they wanted or how they got in the realm in the first place. They didn't look like any pokémon she had seen or even heard of. Just shadowy visages with hateful blood-red eyes and mouths full of razor-sharp teeth that attacked anything and anyone. Whenever they attacked, they gave out these spine chilling shrieks that shook her to the core. Another thing about them is that there was no thought to their actions. Just a mindless desire to lay waste to all around them and they were doing a good job at that, if the dead plants and scattered bodies are anything to go by. Most of the populace were in the main part of the realm and handling things there which left Sylvia, herself and a few others protecting the Life Tree... Although you couldn't exactly call it the Life Tree at the moment.

"Keep pushing them back, my fellow fairies! These vermin will not best us this day! I will not allow it!" Xerneas yelled out further back from Angel's location. None of them knew when he had awakened from his slumber but they were all glad he was fighting with them in this time of need. His marvelous antlers glowed brightly with all the colors of the rainbow and he unleashed a strong, booming flash of energy all around him that incinerated a good number of the unknown beasts. His inclusion in the battle proved to be of great importance. Not just the morale boost that came with fighting alongside a legendary pokémon but also his Fairy Aura ability which powered the fairy type moves of himself as well as his allies in battle. With it, the fairies of the realm had a fighting chance against the black, screaming creatures, though that's not to say there weren't any casualties. There were just too many of them and it didn't look like they were stopping any time soon.

Angel took a quick look to her left and found that Sylvia was holding her own impressively against their foes. She nimbly dodged backwards when one of them tried to dive bomb her with the intention of biting her head off and she retaliated with a super charged Moonblast which completely disintegrated it along with a few others unfortunate enough to be caught in the blast zone. She looked to her right and saw a Granbull that had its powerful jaws clamped down on one of the ugly things and shook it side to side in order to make sure it was dead. Clamping down hard, the captured foe gave an echoed shriek before exploding into a thick black mist that had the unfortunate side effect of temporarily obstructing the Granbull's vision. Seeing an opening, more of them were upon it, fangs bared with intention of ripping the fairy to bloody shreds. "Sylvia!"

Hearing her name, the Sylveon looked at Angel to see her holding her hand out to her with a look of urgency in her amber eyes. Sylvia didn't hesitate, sprinting to where her friend was, wrapping a ribbon around her wrist and empowering her body using Helping Hand.

Now charged, Angel's eyes and horns glowed fiercely and she threw her free arm out towards the pitch black creatures and they were suddenly halted in mid-air, their teeth inches away from the Granbull. With the creatures in her firm psychic hold, she raised them higher into the air and focused even more power to her attack. The things shrieked a good while before Angel's unforgiving psychic pressure caused them all to explode into a thick miasma that slowly disappeared into the air.

"Good save." Sylvia complemented. "But we're not done yet. Here they come!"

Both girls directed their attention to the garden entrance where more of the creatures invaded through. "There's just no end to them."

"Nothing left to do but to keep fighting!" Sylvia tapped into all the energy she could muster and fired projectile after projectile of her Moonblast attack, picking them off group by group in a brilliant light display before they became too big a problem to handle.

Angel followed suit, horns glowing brightly and releasing yet another Dazzling Gleam that destroyed anything directly in front of her. She continued to fire off waves of her attack but more replaced the ones she had defeated still. Another attack. Another fresh wave of enemies. They continued to shrieked as if to undermine her efforts which were quickly becoming futile. Dropping to her knees, Angel found it difficult to support herself, let alone attack. She was fatigued. She could not go on any longer. She didn't have the endurance her friend had who continued to fire her attacks in rapid succession.

"Come on, Angel! You can't quit now! Keep fighting! Our realm depends on it!" Sylvia was sweating bullets as she used every ounce of her being to try and repel the assault but it was all for naught. They were too many. They couldn't defeat them all. Not like this...

"Lord Xerneas!" Angel tiredly looked behind her and her world instantly shattered. She watched but could do nothing as the red-eyed creatures sailed down from the sky upon and all around her lord and master. She knew him to be great and powerful but even he wasn't prepared for the sudden swarm of beasts. The legendary pokémon charged his horns and expelled a powerful electric charge around him but it was as useful as trying to stop a flood with a small log. Being so many of them, the violent beasts easily filtered right through Xerneas' last line of defense and begun their mass assault. What happened next was a vision that would forever be etched into Angel's mind. Tears welled up in her eyes and the sounds of her lord's dying screams invaded her ears as she watched the creatures rip off chunks of Xerneas' body in a gory display. First his legs, which caused him fall over and left the rest of him completely open. The creatures went for his stomach next, ripping it open and causing his innards to spill out only to be eaten by even more of them. They continued to swarm the fallen legendary, still, using their strong teeth to shatter the Life Pokémon's antlers like twigs. It never stopped there. More and more piled all over the defeated fairy type until it was completely covered by them in a large black heap and all that was heard were the sickening wet and crunching noises coming from within.

Angel was left speechless, tears staining her face and slouched pathetically on the ground. She looked around and saw that everything had quickly become a tragedy. With Xerneas' Fairy Aura no longer influencing them, the fairies of the realm lost their boosted power and that was more than enough for the creatures to begin picking the rest of them off. Angel closed her eyes shut and placed her arms on the sides of her head in an attempt to block out the blood curdling shrieks of the horrid beasts all around her and the dying screams of her fellow fairies that accompanied them. She could have sworn she also heard Sylvia's scream followed by a loud crunching noise but she dared not look.

"Angel... Help me..." She heard her friend call weakly to her but she remained in her position.

"Angel... Please."

"Stop." Angel's body started to shake violently.

"Angel."

"Stop!" Her body continued to shake against her will and she was sure those things had finished devouring everyone and she was next.

"Angel!"

Finally she opened her eyes but instead of seeing dismembered bodies everywhere, she instead saw Sylvia's gentle blue eyes staring back at her and had been using her paw to shake her awake. Carefully sitting up, she noticed that she was back in the small clearing where she had fallen asleep.

"You okay? It looked like you were having a nightmare. Or a daymare in this regard, eh?" Sylvia tried to lighten the mood for the sake of her friend and raised a ribbon which she used to wipe off Angel's tears. "A pretty bad one from the looks of it."

"Sy... Sylvia? But you... And the others... In the garden... Those things..." Angel babbled incoherently.

"Calm down, Angel. Deep breaths. Whatever happened, it's over now." Sylvia held onto the hysterical Kirlia and channeled that serene aura through her body.

"But... But... We were... And Lord Xerneas was..." Wait... "The Life Tree!"

Sylvia blinked in surprise when her friend suddenly disappeared in a flash. Now alone in the clearing, the Sylveon sighed and stood up, stretching a little. Using her ribbons, she gathered Angel's belongings, placing her book into her bag and fastening it to her side. With all of that done, Sylvia started to make her way to where she could guess Angel was.

"Sure wish I could teleport too..."

* * *

 

Life Tree

Beautiful flowers, tall trees, sun shining down on the marvelous garden. It was just as she last saw it. If anything, it looked even more impressive considering her last vision of it. What mattered the most to Angel, however, was the large white tree in the center of it all. It radiated the same aura that made her feel safe. Her Lord Xerneas was still very much alive.

"Guess I overreacted." Kneeling, Angel reached out and touched the large tree at its roots and felt a rush of rejuvenation course through her body that made high sigh in bliss. "I was a fool to ever think you'll leave us, Lord Xerneas. Forgive me." She gave a weak smile.

"Angel?"

The addressed pokémon looked behind her and found the red flower Florges that nurtured the garden she was in staring down at her.

"Oh... Miss Fleur." Angel got up and dusted her knees off. "Good afternoon." She bowed respectfully at the Garden Pokémon.

"Good afternoon to you." Fleur de Lis gracefully returned the gesture. "I didn't expect to be seeing you here today. Did you come to make another tribute?"

"Um, no. You see..." Angel looked away and rubbed her right arm. "I just... I wanted to make sure everything was alright."

Fleur looked at Angel in confusion before floating closer to her. "Whatever do you mean, dear? Did something happen?"

The Kirlia now rubbed her hands together. Indeed it was a terrifying dream that came right out of the blue but how would she explain it? It consisted of the deaths of every resident of the Fairy Realm including Xerneas so surely it would sound absurd and maybe even insulting to their patron legendary. She never shared the contents of her dreams with anyone other than her mother because they always made her feel self conscious and it wasn't any different here... But when she gazed up into the mature pokémon's concerned eyes, she felt like she could trust her enough to relay her plight to her instead of keeping things bottled up.

"I... I had a nightmare. These... These things suddenly invaded our realm and attacked everything. Lord Xerneas was there too. We all tried to fight them off but there were too many." Angel's body trembled a little just remembering them. "They killed us all... Even Lord Xerneas. They..." Angel closed her eyes shut and her voice cracked a little. "They stopped at nothing to eradicate our entire home. They laid waste to all our plants and feasted on our flesh..." The Emotion Pokémon was now in hysterics. "There was blood everywhere! They tore us all to pieces. Including Lord Xerneas! Those things... They eviscerated his body... And then Sylvia... Miss Redolence... Mom... And even yourself. The sounds... The screams... We all died! Wiped out off the face of the world by those frightening beasts! I hadn't even... How could such a thing-"

"Angel." Fleur's gentle voice instantly calmed the young pokémon that was on the brink of fresh tears. The Florges placed her hand on top of Angel's head which caused her to look back up. "Please do not be so afraid. I want you to know that what you experienced was nothing but a bad dream. Everyone has them now and then and even though they are quite terrifying, they aren't real." Fleur turned Angel around and made her face the Life Tree. "As you can see, everything is fine. Behold our majestic garden in all its beauty. Even in his state, Lord Xerneas is doing everything in his power to keep us safe and our flourishing realm is evidence of that. He gave us the gift of life and continues to do that even to this day. Any hostile pokémon that would be foolish enough to enter our realm invites the possibility of being vanquished by our combined power. Even the wild pokémon patrolling the outskirts know that ours is not a simple settlement and will never risk doing anything drastic. Someday you will evolve into a Gardevoir and the Fairy Realm will become that much stronger." The Garden Pokémon made Angel face her once again and she saw the sorrow in her eyes replaced by a small bit of hope. "No matter how dire a circumstance can be, never doubt Lord Xerneas' power or your allies. And never doubt your own. Do you understand?"

With her fears washed away by Fleur's calming words, the Emotion Pokémon wiped her eyes and nodded her head. "Y-yes. Thank you, Miss Fleur." Angel smiled and wrapped her arms around the Florges' lower body in gratitude.

"You are most welcome, child." Fleur would have hugged the Kirlia back but she was too short so she settled with gently rubbing the top of her head.

"Awww. How nice. Angel has a guardian angel of her own."

Angel's eyes opened and she looked behind Fleur de Lis to see her friend seated at the entrance of the garden who was smiling back at her. "How long have you been there?" Angel's cheeks already started burning at the thought of being exposed to her friend like this.

"Long enough." The Intertwining Pokémon got up and started making her way towards the pair. "That was quite a lovely speech, Miss Fleur. I can't remember the last time I was made to feel so safe in our realm. You have my thanks as well." Sylvia stopped in front of Fleur and politely bowed her head.

"You're welcome, my dear Sylvia." The Garden Pokémon separated herself from Angel. "Are you fine, child?" Angel gave her a small nod and Fleur nodded back. "Then I shall leave you two to your business. Let us speak again sometime, hm?" With those parting words, Fleur de Lis floated deeper into the garden to tend to her flowers while the two friends watched her for a short while.

"She's so nice. Wouldn't you say so, Angel?" Sylvia watched from a distance as Fleur picked a bundle of different flowers and combined them into a charming bouquet.

"Yeah... She is." Angel openly agreed with her friend. The only other pokémon that had ever offered her this level of comfort was her mother, Sana.

"Are you really fine, though? You looked pretty shaken when you woke up." Her friend gave her a concerned look.

"Yeah... I'm fine now."

"Good."

"Ah!" The Sylveon once again maneuvered her body underneath the Kirlia and rose up so that she was now on her back.

"Come on. Let's go to Fiore's Berry Shop. I've got a craving for some Oran Berries. Don't worry, I won't cruise this time." Sylvia didn't wait for her friend's response and started walking back towards the main part of the Fairy Realm.

Angel looked down at her friend but did nothing to stop her, figuring she may as well enjoy the ride she was offered. With a smile, she supposed that it was a privilege to be blessed with friends like her. Life was good.

Sylvia made a smile of her own when she felt Angel's arms wrap gently around her neck. Even the smallest bit of comfort she could offer her friend made her feel happier than anything. Now in an even better mood than when she woke up, Sylvia broke into a small trot towards the mentioned shop.

* * *

 

Forest Area - A few miles from the Pokémon Settlement.

"Alright, I'm next. I spy-"

"Probably a tree." Gallant interrupted Stalwart's chance at their game.

"You didn't let me finish."

"Am I wrong?"

"...No." Stalwart conceded.

"This isn't a very good game to play if there's only one thing around us. How were we even able to go twelve rounds in this game?" Resolute was genuinely baffled.

"Perhaps another game then?" Stalwart asked.

"Like what?" Valor looked at his friend for a suggestion.

"How about we sing one hundred bottles of berry juice on the wall?" Intrepid suggested.

"No!" Came everyone else's reply. Even Edge.

"Geez, fine. Hostile work environment."

"This is a hostile environment altogether and I'm sure the native pokémon wouldn't appreciate our bad singing." Edge was one of their means of inspiration well and good but he wasn't going to have his students sing on his watch of all things.

"My mother says I have a lovely singing voice." Intrepid defended himself.

"She's your mother. She's suppose to say stuff like that. But now that you're with pokémon that would gladly hurt your feelings, we can tell you that your singing can scare a Hydreigon away." Valor shared his painful honesty with his friend.

"You could have let me down easy." Intrepid's voice was laced with irritation.

"Where's the fun in that?"

"If we ever run into one of those things, though, I don't know what I'd do. I've seen a picture of a Hydreigon before and it didn't look friendly." Gallant recalled the image of the three-headed, crazy-looking dragon. How was the guy who sketched that able to return home, he wondered?

"Pfft. I'd kick its ass." Valor boasted and his statement made Edge roll his eyes.

"And how will you do that?" Their teacher inquired.

"Dragons are weak to fairy type attacks, right? On top of that, as fairies, we're completely unaffected by dragon attacks. It's especially bad for a pokémon like Hydreigon since I heard it also has a dark typing and that makes it even more vulnerable to our attacks."

Edge smirked at Valor's logic. It seemed his students knew a lot about type match ups than they let on. However, he had his own knowledge to dispense as well. "That's an insightful look of things, Valor, I'll give you that. But having a type advantage over your foe doesn't always guarantee a victory. Did you know that a Hydreigon could learn Flash Cannon, a steel move?"

Valor looked up at his teacher with surprise. "They can?"

"Sure they can. It's not limited to Hydreigon either. A lot of dragons are known to carry poison and fire attacks to compensate for their weaknesses. Dragons are very versatile pokémon and that's what makes them dangerous. There are also incidents of electric type pokémon getting the upper hand on ground types using Grass Knot or Hidden Power so you can't always rely on brute forcing your way to victory just because you're confident in your type. My final point being, and this is the most important one, that you won't be a fairy type for long so you better brace yourselves for those Draco Meteors if you plan on fighting dragons in the future."

And just like that, everyone's eyes widened in realization. When they evolved into Gallade, they lost their fairy type to have it replaced by the fighting type, giving them new strengths as well as weaknesses. They were literally turning into a different pokémon and they would have to work through many experiences in order to get used to their new bodies.

"Well damn, you're right." Valor was going to say that fighting beats dark but if he did, it would look like he wasn't paying attention to his lesson.

"Of course I'm right. You're all still green, after all. Heh. Little joke there." Edge's students all cringed at the lame pun.

"Awful."

"I agree."

"You could have come up with something bet-"

"Stop." Edge said firmly, halting in his tracks and causing the Kirlia to do the same. He rubbed the red crest on his chest that was sensitive to emotion. Yet, he felt only one kind of emotion and that was hostility. "We've got company." His elbow blades were already extended which made his students stand back to back and assume battle positions. After it was now brought to their attention, they felt a tingle in their own horns and they didn't like it.

"Doesn't feel like the good kind of company either..." Gallant commented, looking around, not knowing where the perceived threat would strike from.

Edge looked first to his left and then his right, trying to scout the enemies' locations. There was sudden surge in his chest protrusion which told of his enemy's hiding spot. "Hmph. Gotta try harder than that." Edge narrowed his eyes to the right and eventually a white-furred pokémon leaped out of some bushes with its arms raised high in an attempt to slug him with an overhead strike. The Gallade responded by crossing his arms above him just as his foe swung its own arms down at him. Unfortunately for it, the entire underside of a Gallade's arms were incredibly sharp and its forceful attack only ended with its own paws getting chopped off. Edge withdrew from his defensive stance and crouched down a little before rising up with an uppercut to the chin that sent the Vigoroth screaming back into the bushes from whence it came.

"Woah. That was amazing E-" Intrepid's compliment was cut short as another one of the normal types tackled him from the left, separating him from the rest of the group and pinning him to the ground.

The Vigoroth raised one of its arms high then brought it down in a quick jab, sinking its claws into the dirt where its prey had just been a second ago. From his new teleported position on top of the Vigoroth, Intrepid drew forth from his twisted spoon to power himself up and struck it with a strong psychic blast point blank at the back of its head which further caused it to slam face first into the ground, knocking it out.

"How do you like that?"

"Focus, everyone. Here come more!" Edge got into a standard battle stance as more of the wild pokémon appeared around them. "One, two, three, four, five... Six... Seven. Damn." The Vigoroth had them surrounded, some standing in a slouched posture while other hanged from trees, all hopping in place and making jeering noises at them. "I think we're in their territory."

"Great." Stalwart wrapped his focus sash around his waist, knowing that anything could happen in this situation. "Just what we need..."

"Everyone eat a Salac Berry." Edge shared some of his to those that didn't bring their own. "These things are known for having such a vital spirit that they can't sit still. They're very agile and aggressive so we'll need a boost in speed to keep up with them." Edge popped his own Salac Berry into his mouth and swallowed it, already feeling the enhancing effects. "The Pokémon Settlement isn't that far from here. We'll clear a path and then make a break for it. Understood?"

All his students nodded, not entertaining the idea of fighting so many hostiles at once either.

With a cry, the first one ran on all fours towards the easier targets while its partner engaged the Gallade. The one with Gallade in its eye jumped at him with its claws bared and Edge took aim, quickly swinging his arm outwards and sending a crescent-shaped projectile vertically at it that chopped off one of its arms. The Vigoroth cried out and its attack was interrupted, causing it to land painfully on the ground and hold onto its bleeding stump. Edge wasn't done as he ran up and punted the floored pokémon in the face, sending it flying into another Vigiroth that tried to avenge its fallen comrade. Another one was upon Edge, this time from the rear and restrained his arms by curling its own under them. A new Vigoroth took the opportunity to rush the Gallade, intending to end him once and for all.

"You sure about that?" Just as the foe in front of him swung one of its claws, Edge leaned his body down, a motion that made the Vigoroth behind him rise up onto his back, making it the new target. The attack was already in motion and its partner could not stop itself from slashing it across the face and knocking it off the Blade Pokémon's back. Now free, Edge delivered a rising right hook straight into the remaining pokémon's gut followed by a left hook that fractured its jaw and sent it flying into a tree, out cold. "Don't think I forgot about you." Edge spun on his heel and charged the Vigoroth that had restrained him. The enraged Wild Monkey Pokémon met him halfway and took a swing at him with its sharp claws but Edge went low, spinning on his arm and striking out with an extended leg, sweeping his foe's legs out from under it and dropping it to the ground. The Gallade quickly finished things by jumping back up and delivering an elbow drop that impaled the Vigoroth at the base of its spine, killing it. "Tch. Gotta clean that up later..." Edge commented, brushing some of its blood off his arm.

The situation on the other end was still heated as the young Kirlia fought diligently against the opposition. One of them was already down, missing a few teeth and Gallant ran towards a fast approaching second one. The Kirlia crouched low at the last moment just as the normal type attempted a pounce, sliding underneath its body, avoiding its attack and firing an unseeable force at a Vigoroth that was behind it, catching it off guard and knocking it to the ground. The primary Vigoroth looked behind itself in confusion, leaving its back open. Valor wasted no time in sending a psychic blast aimed at the back of the target's head that caused to topple and flail its arms in an attempt to regain balance.

"Valor!" Gallant called for his partner.

"On it!" Valor appeared beside Gallant in an instant, grabbing his arm, spinning him around once and tossing him at the Vigoroth that had just stood back straight. The airborne Kirlia flipped through the air and threw his legs out, delivering a drop kick to the normal type's face and at the same time, Intrepid expelled another psychic force at the Vigoroth's feet, causing it drop painfully to the ground from the choreographed assault with Gallant delivering a final telekinetic blow to the face that spelled lights-out for their foe.

"Score one for the little guys." Valor smirked. His victory boast was short-lived, though, as the Vigoroth that was knocked off its feet earlier had gotten back up and was rushing at the exposed Kirlia, wanting nothing more than to impale him on its claws.

"Valor!" Without thinking, Stalwart teleported in the way of the attack meant for his friend. He cried out in pain as the claws penetrated his skin but he was lucky enough to grab onto the Vigoroth's arm and use some of his psychic power to keep the claws from sinking too deep into his body and cause serious harm. The focus sash around his waist glowed for a moment before dissipating, saving him from what would have been a life threatening blow. "Damn. Paid good money for that too..."

Seeing their friend injured by the Vigoroth, the remaining Kirlia were suddenly filled by a seething fury. They all teleported around the Vigoroth, surround it and their horns and eyes begun to glow. The Vigoroth shook for a moment before withdrawing its claws from its prey and placing them beside its head. It started to scream as all its senses were assaulted by a most unpleasant sensation. Dropping to its knees, it continued to scream, this time with blood leaking from its eyes, nose, mouth and ears. It shook violently for a few more seconds, eyes rolling up into its head and then falling over, dead.

"Choke on it, punk."

"Piece of crap."

"You got off lucky, asshole."

"How's Stalwart?"

"He's gonna be fine." The Kirlia all looked towards Edge who had taken the time to treat his injured student. His bag was open and the young fairies all noticed the first-aid equipment in it. He had already cleaned the wound along with giving him some manner of small pill to eat and was currently wrapping a bandage around the affected area. All done, Edge packed up his kit and sat the treated Kirlia upright. "How do you feel?"

"It hurts... But I think I'll be fiiiiine..." Stalwart's wince of pain turned into a peculiar smile on his face and he stared blankly ahead of him. Looks like the first-aid was a big success...

"...I don't know what you gave him but I think he likes it. Look at him." Resolute commented, watching his friend waver side to side in content. Medicine shouldn't be able to work that fast, should it?

"I'll have what he's having." Intrepid smirked.

"No time for jokes." Edge hoisted the incredibly happy Kirlia onto his back. "It's almost sundown. We need to make it to the settlement before it gets too dark."

Edge started jogging towards the direction of their destination along with the rest of his students only to have five more Vigoroth appear in front of the Blade Pokémon with one of them shouting profanity at him. "We don't have time for this. Gallant, your vial!"

"Yes, sir!" Still running, Gallant opened his bag, removed the red vial, uncapped it and used his psychic power to propel it at the noise-making Vigoroth.

With its mouth wide open, the offending pokémon got a full taste of the putrid fluid. Its eyes widened and it started rolling on the ground, clawing at its own throat in a frantic attempt to expel the foul liquid from its mouth. Its companions would have helped it but the stench was so terrible that it caused all of them to flee deep into the woods. Being so preoccupied with the cruelty that was inflicted upon it, the screaming Vigoroth never noticed the six psychic pokémon run past it.

* * *

 

Pokémon Settlement - North East Gate.

"Woah." It was all that could be said. After a little running following their engagement, the forest didn't just give way to a more open path. It revealed to them the high wall of the Pokémon Settlement in all its splendor. The solid stone wall not only extended for miles on either side, it also rose up high and Edge wasn't kidding when he said one would have to strain their eyes just to see the top. The wall itself was colored red and the bricks which about fifty centimeters wide were tiled on top of each other in an orderly fashion. The main gate which was directly in front of them was embedded into the wall and was built using gray bricks, all cemented together in an eight meter wide, ten meter high slab.

"So this is the Pokémon Settlement huh? It's... Big." Gallant summed it all up.

"Very big."

"How long did it take them to make this thing?"

"Not sure. Years probably. This settlement has been here long before even I was born. Stalwart, we're here." Edge shook the sleeping pokémon on his back awake.

"I'll have mine with a side order of honey..." Stalwart drooled on Edge's shoulder.

"Just let him be, Edge. He's in no condition to walk anyway and I'm not talking about his injuries." Intrepid gestured to his sleeping friend who still had a wide smile plastered across his face.

"I suppose. Come on, everyone." Edge motioned for them to follow him and follow they did. Walking just a few meters more, the group came up to the front of the large gate flanked by two Klinklang.

"Halt. Identification is required to proceed any further." The one on the right said.

Edge reached into his bag and pulled out a small circular stone with the settlement's crest that depicted a conjoined trio of a talon, a paw and a fin. "Edge of the Fairy Realm. Visiting. Here to make a business transaction. This is my charge." The Gallade motioned to the group of Kirlia under his care.

Satisfied, the Klinklang moved their bodies and joined with the two gears on either side of the gate. After properly adjusting themselves, they begun to move their own gears, activating the mechanism and causing the massive gate to begin rising. Inch by inch, the gate revealed to them more of the settlement. The visiting group could already see the large multiple buildings as well as a few pokémon, both familiar and unfamiliar alike going on about their business. Due to the time, though, the streets were mostly empty and most of the residents had already called it a day. "Welcome to the Pokémon Settlement. We hope you enjoy your stay."

"Come on, everyone. Let's find an inn to bunk in. We shall make our requisition in the morning." Edge walked past the gate and into the settlement, followed closely by his awestruck students.

Gallant grinned, excited to get some food in his belly after the day's ordeals. He proceeded forward but then suddenly stopped on his second step when he felt his horns tingle ever so slightly. He looked up to where he felt the emotion coming from and he could have sworn he saw a black figure zip through the dimmed sky, coming from the same direction as him and his team. What was that? A pokémon? He barely got a good look at it. Could it have been the cause of what he felt?

"Gallant come on!" One of his friends called from ahead of him.

"Uh, coming!" Gallant briefly looked back up but found nothing this time. Shrugging, he ran and caught up with his teammates, ignoring the sorrowful emotion he felt but knowing it still lurked at the back of his mind.

* * *

 

END CHAPTER.

 


	5. The City of Commerce

Even though the young pokémon had hardly even been there long, the Pokémon Settlement proved to be the most amazing thing they had ever witnessed, Xerneas notwithstanding. The buildings were nothing like the ones back in the Fairy Realm. These were large and more refined. Each one of them looked like they took months to erect. From what they saw, most of the buildings were low-rise style, stacked in an orderly fashion along the inner diameter of the settlement's great wall not unlike their own structural layout back home. At the moment, the young Emotion Pokémon sat on a long bench in the reception of what was known as the 'Comfort Inn.' The interior was impressive as well with a hard wood floor and a floral arrangement decorating the shelves situated along the walls and stairs on the far right beside the counter that led to the rest of the Inn. They waited patiently as their guardian, Edge, checked them all in at the counter where a smiling Chansey and a few Machoke stood behind and conversed with him.

"A bedroom to accommodate six, you say?" The Chansey asked with the happiest smile imaginable.

"Yes, please. When will it be ready, if I may ask?" Edge smiled back politely at the friendly Egg Pokémon and placed a small bag of money on the counter top. "My students and I are quite fatigued. Been a long day, you see."

"About twenty minutes to give our staff time to move the furniture around and install the bunk beds." The Chansey turned and addressed the burly fighting types behind her. "Room Forty Four, boys. Three bunk beds, chop-chop."

"Yes ma'am!" The Machoke ran out from their positions behind the counter and up the stairs to get Edge's new room ready.

Looking back at the Gallade, the Chansey gave him a closed eye smile. "Your room will be ready soon. Until then, please feel free and enjoy our Berry Juice Bar." The normal type drew Edge's attention to a door on the left wall that led to the Inn's bar. "We'll call you when your room is ready. I hope you enjoy your stay at the Comfort Inn." The Chansey bowed and Edge bowed back before making his way back to his students.

"Everything done?" Gallant was the first to address their teacher.

"Our room is being prepared." Edge looked at his recovering student. "How are you doing, Stalwart?"

"You ever had a pokémon use Sweet Scent and Heal Pulse on you at the same time? That is the best..." Stalwart's eyes remained closed he and still had a smile on his face.

Intrepid stared at his friend a moment. "Hey, Edge... I've got this, uh, sharp pain in my shoulder-"

"Yeah, nice try, Intrepid." The Blade Pokémon shook his head. "Come on. There's a bar here so let's get a bite to eat in the mean time." Edge started walking towards the door to the bar and his students quickly followed after him.

Opening the door, the group came into by a large bar which was inhabited by various other patrons that evidently looked like they were enjoying their stay. Tables both large and small were occupied by many pokémon enjoying the food and drink offered by the establishment. The Comfort Inn certainly lived up to its name. At the end of the room was the main part of the bar where a pair of Ambipom bartenders expertly used their extra limbs to mix beverages for the patrons that chose to stand at the counter. Looking around, Edge spotted an empty table and motioned for his students to follow.

"Lively place." Valor commented, looking around.

"That's because it's night. The pokémon you see here are usually too busy running things during the day and this is the only time they can give themselves a break to chat like this." The group of psychic types sat on the seats around the unoccupied table and placed their bags on top of it. Edge waved his hand to a nearby Lopunny waitress wearing a red bow tie and she walked over to him with a smile on her face.

"Hey, cutie! Welcome to the Berry Juice Bar! Watcha gonna be having?" The Rabbit Pokémon tilted her head cutely to the side as she waited for the Gallade's order.

"Aprijuice and Lava Cookies all around, please." Edge returned her friendly smile with one of his own.

"Six Aprijuice and six helpings of Lava Cookies it is. B-r-b, boys!" The Lopunny winked at them before heading over to the back room to place their order, swaying her hips as she did.

"...Well. She was certainly friendly." Resolute commented, looking at the door the Lopunny had disappeared through.

"Her energy kind of reminds me of Sylvia." Gallant replied and Valor was all over that statement in an instant.

"You seem to like hanging around lots of girls, Gallant. Something you're not telling us?" Valor smirked at his friend from his seat beside him.

"Yes. When I'm an adult, I plan on marrying as many pokémon as I can, even those not in my egg group. The sole reason I hang around girls is so that I can shape them into my trophy wives." Everyone at the table looked at him in surprise and disbelief. Even Valor. "What? Is that not what you wanted to hear me say? No? Then please can it with the shallow accusations." Gallant gave his friend an irritated look.

"Alright, I'm sorry. Geez, I was kidding." Valor raised his arms in defense.

"If that were true, though? I would call you brave." Edge rested his cheek against his hand. "The stress that comes with handling so many girls at once would probably kill you at a young age. I would rather fight Arceus himself." The Kirlia would have dug deeper into their superior's statement but something else about him caught their attention.

"Um... Aren't you going to get that cleaned up?" Resolute pointed at the red colors staining parts of the underside of Edge's arms.

"Hm?" The Gallade tilted his head to look down at where the Kirlia was pointing. "Oh... This. Gallant?"

"Yeah?"

"Remember when you emptied the contents of your vial into that Vigoroth's mouth?" There was snickering around the table. They remembered that, alright. "Yes, yes. Do you still have that vial?"

"Yes, I do." Gallant opened his bag and presented the small empty bottle to his teacher.

Without moving an inch, the Blade Pokémon floated the vial over to him, removed the cap, lifted the dried blood in tiny flakes off his arms and discarded them into the small glass container. "Better?"

"Everyone else seems to think so." Intrepid smiled and looked around him which caused everyone else to do the same and notice a few pokémon staring at their table with surprised expressions as well as approving smirks from the more rowdy looking patrons.

"Oh don't mind them. A lot of them are probably from guilds."

"Guilds? What are those?" Gallant asked, interested.

"Hm? Oh that's right. You haven't heard of them yet, have you?" Edge straightened himself on his seat and faced his eager to learn students. "Guilds are small groups of pokémon that make it their duty to provide all kinds of services to the Pokémon Settlement. You could call them a kind of task force that use their abilities to handle jobs for other pokémon for a fee. For example, say someone lost their cargo in the Brilliant Meadow because for some reason or other and it's too dangerous for them to retrieve it themselves for fear of a wild pokémon attack. That pokémon can take their problem up with the Guild Collaboration Building located in the southern part of the settlement. There, after receiving a payment, the pokémon in charge will assign the job to the most qualified guild for the task, this being one for battle capable teams as well as tracking and retrieval teams. If the job is successful, the Guild Collaboration splits a percentage of the funds with the guild that completed the job."

"And if they fail?" Gallant asked.

"Then the guild involved doesn't get their cut and the client will have to be refunded a consolation fee. It obviously isn't good for business or reputation if that happens which is why guilds always push past their limits to make sure they see any and all jobs through. Since a lot of them get so much work done, you can imagine how experienced their members are. Quite possibly some of the strongest pokémon their respective realms have to offer."

The Kirlia all looked to each other before looking around them a second time but with much more interest. Now that they got a better look, they found that almost all pokémon in the room were fully evolved. Upon closer inspection, there wasn't a table that had different types of pokémon. Each table was occupied by pokémon of a single primary type. To their left was a table where a Serperior, a Sceptile and a Chesnaught sat. The Chestnaught in particular caught them staring but he just coolly smirked at them before continuing to converse with his allies. A few tables up sat a Charmeleon, a Blaziken and a very laid back looking Infernape that looked like they were having a good night if the laughter and the many empty cups were anything to go by.

"Hey, that one's head is on fire, that's new. So these pokémon all belong to guilds?" Gallant asked.

"Most of them, yes. Those grass types? They're called Guild Chartreuse and they've been around for as long as I've been coming to the settlement. Maybe even longer than that. They're known for their long streak of completed jobs and battle prowess."

"A team of grass types, huh? I thought grass types didn't have that much coverage." Valor commented but didn't look back at the table this time.

"The many pokémon that took them on and lost probably thought the same thing. There's a reason they have a large reputation in the Pokémon Settlement's guild circles." Edge took a quick peek at the table of grass types and then back to his students. "That Sceptile is named Saber. According to what I heard, there's few things faster than him and his blades are sharp enough to cut down even the thickest trees in one motion. Close quarters combat against him would be a terrible approach." The Gallade turned his gaze to the smug looking Regal Pokémon. "That Serperior is Serpentine. She has an ability that turns normally debilitating moves into buffs instead and the Chesnaught, Valiant, has body armor so tough that certain moves wouldn't work on him at all." Edge informed them.

The youngsters were surprised. From where they had seated, the grass types looked just like how any standard pokémon would look but according to their teacher, their docile disposition belied a ferocity that should be feared. Valor wanted to open his mouth to continue the conversation with his elder as he was also curious as to who the fire types beyond them were but the Lopunny had finally made her return with their order, plate in each paw.

"Sorry for the wait, boys!" The Lopunny energetically spun on one foot and placed a plate of twelve Lava Cookies followed by another plate of six cups of Aprijuice onto the table. "Enjoy!" The Rabbit Pokémon blew a kiss at them before taking her leave.

The group watched the jolly Lopunny strut her stuff away a second time before turning their attention to the prepared food. "I don't know about you guys but all this talking is making me hungry..." Intrepid stared at the plates laid out before them. "So these are Lava Cookies, huh? Never had one before. Never even heard of them before now, actually but I'll try anything once." The Emotion Pokémon picked up a Lava Cookie with both hands and took a small bite of it.

Gallant picked up his own baked good and inspected it, observing that it was fairly larger than any cookie he had ever seen. Larger than a poképuff even. "How is it, Intrepid? Good?"

"Really good. Like really, really good." The Kirlia started putting away his cookie at an alarmingly fast rate.

"Slow down, Intrepid. You'll choke." Gallant took more reserved bites off his Lava Cookie.

"Can't help it. Too good." Intrepid popped the last piece of his Lava Cookie into his mouth and drowned it with half a cup of Aprijuice.

"What are in these anyway?" Resolute asked, halfway done with his own. They were certainly delicious, that was certain and he could only guess their ingredients or method of preparation.

"They're made using a certain mix of blended berries and heated into a sort of short-cake. Because of the berries used, they always carry rich and healthy properties for any kind of pokémon." Edge used both his hands to hold his cup of Aprijuice and took a few gulps from it.

"So this meal is especially good for Stalwart here." Intrepid referred to his friend that was seated next to him, swallowing the last piece of his second cookie.

"Actually, I think I'm fine now." Stalwart raised his arm and the wraps around his torso came undone with his psychic power. Enough time had passed and his body now looked the same as it did when they were still in the Fairy Realm. It was like this for all pokémon in the amorphous egg group. Their bodies rarely bled and when they did, it wasn't for long. The most severe injury for him would be losing a limb or something but any other form of damage could be recovered on a cellular level just like fellow amorphous pokémon Reuniclus and Gastrodon, given enough time. Sure, the Ralts line looked cute and in some cases even beautiful but they were far from what most other pokémon thought they were.

"And the painkiller? Did that wear off, yet?" Resolute asked his fellow Kirlia.

"Unfortunately." Whatever it was that Edge gave him, it made him feel great but something that made one feel that good probably shouldn't be taken in bulk, he reasoned.

"Well it's good to have you back, Stalwart. It's a good thing you had your focus sash equipped or who knows what might have happened." Gallant smiled at his friend who smiled back. He was relieved. They all were.

The rest of the meal went on in silence. Edge and Intrepid had already eaten their share and were now cradling their empty cups between their hands as they waited for the rest of the group to finish. Some of the patrons had retired for the night, though a few of them had to be helped out by their companions, funnily enough. A little more time passed and eventually the rest of the team had also finished their meals. About time too as a Machoke entered the bar and after a little looking around, started to make his way towards them.

"Your room is now ready. Room Forty Four, second floor." The fighting type informed them after stopping in front of their table.

"Thank you. We'll be up shortly."

"Do have a good night, all of you." The Machoke gave them a toothy grin and a thumbs up before taking his leave back to the main part of the inn.

Edge got up and so did his students. Rummaging through his bag a little, he removed a few valuable shards and placed them on top of the table with a little tip for their waitress. "Come on. It's late. Let's retire to our room for the night."

Edge led the way back to the reception followed closely by the young Emotion Pokémon. Gallant in particular was pretty satisfied with the trip so far. Apart from Stalwart's injury, he couldn't really complain about the happenings of the day. They had learned new things from their training instructor and even had not one but two opportunities to test out how far along they were in their training. He brought up the rear of the group, looking around the bar one last time and meeting the gaze of the Sceptile that was still seated with his allies at their own table. The Forest Pokémon looked back at him but said nothing, instead clasping his claws underneath his chin with a thin twig in his mouth and levelled Gallant with a calculating glare. The Kirlia was intimidated for a moment before the Sceptile's frown suddenly turned into a smirk which caused his horns to tingle a little. Surprised, all Gallant could do was look forward as the group walked back into the reception. Standing at the threshold, Gallant chanced one more look back to find the grass type still had his reptilian eyes on him and so did the rest of the grass pokémon at the table. Not liking being stared down by three fully evolved pokémon, especially after what he had heard about them from his teacher, Gallant quickly retreated into the reception and caught up with the rest of the group.

Comfort Inn - Room Forty Four

"Woah, what are those!?" Intrepid looked around the room with a wide smile, noticing the three sets of beds with other beds stacked on top of them using wooden supports that lay on the left, right and back walls of the otherwise plain room. A small table in the center of the room where three candles were lit completed the look.

"Bunk beds." Edge said simply, walking in and tossing his bag onto the left bottom bunk before laying down on it himself.

With a flash, Intrepid teleported to the central top bunk. "So cool! Hey check me out, I reign supreme above you all! Now bow down to me, your lord and master- oof!" The Kirlia was suddenly struck in the face by a pillow thrown by Valor.

"Sorry, bro. You've been overthrown."

"Not without a fight, I haven't!" Intrepid made Valor's pillow as well as his own orbit around him before chucking one of them at his 'opponent.'

Valor just lifted one of his hands and the first pillow stopped in mid-air right in front of him. The force of the second pillow, however, was strong enough to knock him to the ground where he lay piled underneath them.

"Ha! Is this all the hero has to offer? Pathetic!" Intrepid boasted from his perch and started spinning in place on his bed. His victory was short-lived as Valor suddenly teleported behind him and wrapped his left arm around Intrepid's torso, restraining his arms and then holding up his right hand against his temple.

"One well placed psychic attack and your brain is toast. What say you, Intrepid?"

"Uh... I use Explosion, taking us both out!"

"You can't use Explosion."

"You don't know that."

"Well then in that case I have the Damp ability."

"I have Mold Breaker."

"I use Gastro Acid."

"I'm a steel type."

"It still works."

"What? No way, really?" Intrepid looked to their elder for confirmation and he nodded affirmative.

"Valor is right. Despite steel being normally immune to poison moves, Gastro Acid is an exception." Edge told his student.

"Well crud, no way..." The Kirlia with the twisted spoon dropped his head in defeat but he suddenly snapped back up and looked to his fellow Kirlia for aid. "Gallant! Lend a hand!"

Gallant just stared at him from the bunk above Edge's and shook his head, no. He would have joined but felt tired enough as it is.

"Looks like I win." Valor smugly stated.

"Yeah, whatever. Get off my bed." Since his friend had a firm grip on him, Intrepid teleported them both to the bottom bunk and left Valor there before retreating back to his spot on the top.

"Don't be such a sore loser, Intrepid. You were out planned. That's just how things end in a battle." Valor summoned his pillow from the floor and rested his head on it, turning to face the top bunk.

"I can't imagine how a battle between two dragons would rage on if that's the case. I mean like two incredibly intelligent and powerful dragons. From what I read, there's very little that can stand up to them. Like that Dialga guy Gallant mentioned." Intrepid played with his twisted spoon as he imagined such a scenario.

"They would probably take a good deal of the terrain with them." Resolute faced their teacher from the bunk underneath Stalwart's. "Hey, Edge. Ever fought a dragon?"

"No." Edge had already made himself comfortable on his bed, lounging on his back with one of his legs raised at the knee and both his arms behind his head.

"Why not?"

"Do I have to? It just never happened. I've never been to the Volcanic Summit and the dragons here are far more civilized and rational than wild dragons."

"I want to fight one after I evolve, I think. Like in a sparring match or something. Not a fight to the death or anything like that. I hear dragons are formidable in battle so I want to challenge one at least once. To test my skill, you know?" Valor said from his bed.

"I wanna see that. If only to see your overconfident body get tossed all over the place." Intrepid lowered his head over the edge of his bunk just to grin provocatively at his friend. Surprisingly, his comment was met with a blank expression.

"How about a challenge then, for after we all evolve? Not that any of us will actively go around looking for a fight but the first one to meet and knock out a dragon wins. What say you to that, hot-shot?" Valor's smug smile finally returned.

"Deal! Gallant?" Intrepid looked at the Kirlia that chose to be quiet the entire conversation.

"I don't plan on doing anything reckless or dangerous like you guys." Gallant closed his eyes as if to end the conversation but then one of his eyes opened and a small smile graced his features. "But if I do knock out a dragon, it would be nice to rub it in your faces."

"Count me in too." Resolute stated.

"And me as well." Stalwart was also excited at the prospect of achieving such a milestone.

Edge felt a positive sensation in his chest protrusion as he felt the excitement his students gave off in large waves. It was enough to make him happy against his will. There was their competetive spirit again. Even though the kind of bet they were making would be considered insane by some, their drive couldn't be denied and he was sure he wouldn't be able to talk them out of it. The most he could do for now was keep them safe and continue to train them in preparation for such events that he realized was one of the main reasons he took them under his wing. Looks like the training would be getting even more serious from this point on. But for now... "Get some sleep, everyone." Edge rolled to his side. "We have errands to run tomorrow." The Gallade used his telekinetic power to lift the candles off the table and shook them until the flames went out.

Deciding to do just that, the Kirlia all got comfortable and snug in their own beds, ready for a good night's sleep.

"Can you guys settle something for me first?" Gallant suddenly spoke up. "What's the best poképuff flavor?"

"Mint." They all answered.

"Thank you and goodnight."

* * *

 

Fairy Realm - Sana's Ceramic Store

"Alright, Angel. Try again but with a little more force." Sana folded her blue arms as she stood in front of the door to her work station. She had moved all her tools and ceramic creations to the sides of the room and on high shelves so that they wouldn't get in the way or accidentally damaged by her daughter's psychic power.

Angel exhaled audibly and looked at the lone ceramic pot that was placed a few meters ahead of her. There were a few scattered shards around it but not much else. She looked back at her mother who smiled and gave her a nod of encouragement. Facing back to the pot, Angel closed her eyes and her horns begun glowing. There was suddenly a strange, low humming noise in the room as the Kirlia collected a surplus of energy and bundled it around the pot without actually harming it. Seconds passed and Angel quickly started to show signs of fatigue. Her arms trembled and she bit her lower lip in concentration. After a little time passed, the humming sound in the room ceased and Angel finally opened her eyes. For a moment, nothing happened but after like a minute, the large psychic build-up Angel placed around the pot became unstable which caused the pot to shatter into smaller pieces from the pressure and join the mess that was around it.

"Hmm... Looks like you still can't manage a full power Future Sight without the aid of Calm Mind first. You're getting there, though." Sana walked over to her daughter and looked at what had become of her ceramic pot.

"Is this really Future Sight, though? I thought it had something to do with using our psychic power to warp reality to our favor and cause unforeseen damage to a target. At least that's what it looks like when I see you do it." Angel looked up at her mother, looking a little winded thanks to how many times she had to perform the attack.

Sana looked down at her daughter with a confused glance before smiling, amused. "Oh heavens, no... It's like I said. A great collection of energy is all that's required. All one has to do is store up energy and focus it on a single target. Observe." The Gardevoir floated another one of her pots in front of them and her eyes glowed for a moment. "Those psychic particles sort of bundle up around a solid target until they become a part of it and move as they do. But once I stop supplying the steady collection of energy, that energy becomes more and more unstable as the seconds roll by until..." There was a loud booming sound and hundreds of cracks appeared all over the pot before it collapsed into a broken heap with a clattering sound. "That energy finally melts down and causes an implosion around the target. It's all very simple. But I guess to the perspective of a pokémon unfamiliar with the move, it does look like foul play is at work, doesn't it?"

"If only it was that easy." Angel rubbed her arm. She wasn't at the same level as her mother and from the way things looked, she was far from it. "I guess I didn't think that such a move would need so much psychic power and concentration. You make it look too easy."

"Well, practice makes perfect." Sana leaned down to rub the top of Angel's head. "I struggled with this technique when I was your age too. Just give it time, you'll get the hang of it."

Angel smiled before looking back at the clutter of broken pots in front of them. "I just feel bad about us having to use your products as dummies for my training."

"No need to worry, honey. I can make more later."

"But that means more work for you, mom."

"I said not to worry about it, dear. Let's end your training here for now." Sana took Angel's hand in her own. "Come on, it's late. Time for bed."

The Embrace Pokémon led her child out of her work room, through the main store, past behind the counter and into their bedroom. There she stretched out before sitting daintily on her bed, her daughter sitting on the smaller one opposite hers.

"So tired..." Angel laid back and faced the ceiling, yawning.

"Been a long day, hasn't it? Did anything interesting happen today?" Sana shifted her body weight onto her left arm.

"Not much. I spent most of my day going through my book with Sylvia. We got some food and relaxed in a clearing. Chatting about all sorts of stuff. Mostly debating about some theories we had about the legendaries we never knew about."

"Is that right? What kind of theories?" Sana curiously asked.

"Well for starters, Sylvia seems to think Dialga and Palkia have a sibling rivalry thing going on." Angel dead-panned. She couldn't believe she was even saying it. She also couldn't believe that she, herself, came dangerously close to accepting the Sylveon's crazy theory. Crazy enough that it got her mother laughing into her hand.

"It's good you have such an insightful friend, Angel. Sylvia always did bring a refreshing atmosphere with her wherever she went. You'd probably still be running around looking like a Gloom had you never befriended her." The Gardevoir giggled at her daughter's expense.

Angel wanted to open her mouth to argue but found that she really couldn't because her mother was completely right. Had she not been spending a lot of her time with her friend upbeat, there would have still been a lot of things she would shy away from. Large unfamiliar crowds still made her uncomfortable but she never felt that whenever she was with Sylvia. She was like an emotional crutch that Angel used to get over her social issues, sad as that sounded but she valued Sylvia's friendship all the same. "I guess you're right."

"Well of course I am. I wouldn't be a very good mother if I didn't know anything about my daughter, would I?" Sana offered the young Emotion Pokémon a gentle smile. "Any other news I should be aware of?"

Angel thought for a moment. The entire day was spent with her friend as she recalled. First they got a bite to eat, then they went through a few sections of her book, then they fell asleep there in the clearing. And then...

Sana's chest crest suddenly surged with fear and sorrow which threw her into alarm. She teleported from her bed and sat next to her suddenly trembling daughter who had wrapped her own arms around her and had her eyes shut. "Angel! Angel, what's the matter!?"

Angel's mind was assaulted with the shrieks of her tormentors and a vision of her home as a wasteland as she recalled the dream she had earlier today. The devastation. The screams of her dying allies. Sylvia's own death... The horrible demise of Lord Xerneas and the Fairy Realm. It was all a dream and she was already reassured by Fleur but such images simply did not go away.

The Embrace Pokémon put her hand on top of her child's head which caused her to look up and Sana saw fear in the Kirlia's otherwise beautiful amber eyes. "Angel... Did something happen today?" Their realm was the safest place for any fairy to be so the thought that her daughter experienced some sort of attack made her more than concerned. It also made her a furious.

The Kirlia shook a little from all the stress she was giving herself but looking up at her mother's comforting eyes made her settle down a little. "Sorry... Sorry, it's just... I had a bad dream earlier. A really bad dream. A dream that ended in the deaths of everyone and the destruction of the Life Tree. I don't even know what caused it or why I would have such a dream in the first place..." Angel took a few calming breaths. "I'm sorry... I'm fine now. It just isn't something I want plaguing my mind."

Sana just held her daughter close, relieved that no mortal danger had befallen her. It was strange, though. Since they lived in a paradise provided for them by their Lord, Xerneas, no pokémon in the fairy had ever experienced a nightmare as far as she could recall. Day by day they are all exposed to Xerneas' life giving waves. Not a negative energy to be felt for miles so Angel's sudden emotional plight had her flummoxed. A bad dream suddenly appearing out of the blue like that which clearly did visible damage to her daughter's psych. It sounded a little familiar...

"Mom?"

Sana blinked. It appeared that she had trailed off and it was now Angel's turn to have a concerned gaze. "Oh sorry, Angel. I got a little sidetracked. Are you fine, though? You gave me quite a scare..." The Gardevoir wrapped a comforting arm around the Kirlia.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Everything's fine. It's like Miss Fleur said when I met her in the Life Tree's garden. My dream will become a forgotten memory with time." Those weren't her exact words but they still made her feel better already.

Sana smiled down at her daughter. She was glad she had already been comforted even if that comfort wasn't coming from her. If anything, it was good to see she was opening up to more and more pokémon each day. Or month, whatever.

Giving her daughter one last squeeze of affection, the Gardevoir got up and made her way back to her bed and sat back down on it. She looked at her daughter who was mostly fine but still looked a little shaken. "Angel?"

The Kirlia looked up at her mother. "Yes, mom?"

"Would you like to sleep on my bed tonight?"

"...Okay." Angel got up, walked over to her mother's bed and laid down on it, nestling against her after she made some room. "Goodnight, mom."

"Goodnight, Angel." Sana kissed the top of her daughter's head before closing her eyes, ready to get some sleep, herself.

"Mom?"

"Yes, dear?"

"Sylvia and I got some berries from Miss Fiore and they were really good." Angel wrapped up her story.

Sana smiled and held her daughter closer. "That's good to hear."

* * *

 

Pokémon Settlement - The Next Morning

Edge fastened the strap of his bag around his waist as he watched his students do the same with theirs. It had been a good night, indeed and they were now all rested and energized once again. Looking left to right, he found all his students done packing and looking back at him expectantly. "Everyone ready?" He asked.

"Yes, sir." They all answered.

"So are we going to finally make a requisition for Dawn Stones?" Gallant asked excitedly.

Edge nodded. "That's right. Our destination this morning will be the Stone Emporium. It's a few buildings from this one. We will make our request for Dawn Stones there. If we're lucky, we just might find them in stock but I'm doubtful as Dawn Stones and others of the like are extremely rare."

"Fingers crossed." Valor chimed in.

"I hope by any chance you haven't left anything behind?" The Kirlia all shook their heads. "Alright, let's go."

Edge opened the door and ushered his students out and following after them. Walking down the flight of stairs, the group made their way back to the reception to see that the Chansey from the previous night had already taken her place behind the counter. She certainly took her job seriously. There were few who chose to get up at this hour. Heck, if they were still in the Fairy Realm, they would still be asleep, themselves.

The Chansey looked up at them and gave them a bright smile. "Good morning! I do hope you had a most pleasant night?"

"We did, thank you." Edge replied.

"Good!" The Chansey said with a little hop. "I couldn't forgive myself if you were dissatisfied with our services. Why, the thought itself is unacceptable."

"Everything was fine, I assure you."

"That's good then. Please come back to the Comfort Inn any time." The Chansey bowed.

"Yes, thank you." The Gallade returned the bow and so did the Kirlia.

With the formalities were out of the way, the group exited the Comfort Inn and stepped into the settlement's main streets. Now that it was morning, the young Emotion Pokémon could see just how busy the Pokémon Settlement was. Flying pokémon soared above while other pokémon moved along the streets at different paces, each of them having different goals or meetings while others simply walked side by side and chatted with one another. They had never seen so many pokémon in one place before. They had never seen so many tall buildings either. Many pokémon walked in and out of the various establishments that seemed to go on past their line of vision.

"Look at this place..." Valor looked around him in awe as he walked with his friends. "It's got to be like three times the size of home. Maybe even more than that."

Gallant looked around as well, fascinated with the architecture and the population. The pokémon responsible for building this place more than deserved some kind of grand award. He would clap his hands if it didn't make him look awkward in front of everyone.

"It's quite something, isn't it?" Edge spoke from behind them. "Since pokémon of a different type can not enter another type's realm without potentially endangering themselves or sparking a conflict, this place was built as a means for pokémon from all over the world to communicate. Lots of services from different realms that would otherwise be unavailable are offered here. Heart Scales from Still Lake, Evolution Stones from the Seismic Highlands, rare berries and flowers from our own realm and the Grass Realm. The Pokémon Settlement has it all."

The young fairies all looked at the commotion around them in wonder but there was something else on Gallant's mind. "Hey, Edge... How come we've never heard of guilds until just yesterday? Has no one back home ever been interested in that sort of thing?"

"You can say that... The Fairy Realm has always lived in the paradise Lord Xerneas provided us with for as long as I can remember, so we've never had to worry about any shortcomings. Ours is a land of peace and the reason we train is to uphold that peace if something was ever to befall our realm, Arcues forbid. I'm sure it's like this for other realms, although I'm not certain. We live a comfortable life so I guess it just never happened. Why? Are you interested?"

Gallant thought on that for a moment. "Yeah... You can say that I am."

"I can take you all to the Guild Collaboration Building and see what it's like later on if you want. That sound okay?" Edge offered.

Gallant smiled and nodded his head happily. "Sure."

The group pressed on along the main street until they stopped in front of an impressive looking building which had a sign that arched above the door that read 'Stone Emporium.' Edge stepped forward and opened the entrance for them, an act which caused a bell on the inside to jingle when struck slightly by the door, alerting the clerk behind the counter at the end of the room.

"Ah! More customers! Welcome to the Stone Emporium!" The Kecleon greeted with an upbeat personality. "Well, if it isn't Edge... Been a while since we last saw each other. Please..." The Color Swap Pokémon beckoned them over.

The small group looked around the room. A few other pokémon including a group of Roselia and a small group of Eevee led by a Jolteon had visited the store as well and were currently inspecting the glass cases which held various evolution stones that rested along the walls. Reaching the counter, the Blade Pokémon greeted the store clerk proper.

"Good morning, Forest. You've been well, I take it?"

"Very well. As you can see, business has been good." The Kecleon named Forest informed. "Now, what can I do for you and your little friends?"

"Dawn Stones. Five of them. They're for my students here." Gallant brought Forest's attention to the young Emotion Pokémon.

"Ah I see. All ready to evolve are we?" The Kirlia all smiled and nodded. "Well I'm sorry to disappoint you but we're all out." The Kecleon said while still maintaining his smile. The same couldn't be said for the fairy types in front of him who scowled in irritation at getting their hopes up only to get shot down. They were just about to start spinning in happiness too... "Now, now, don't be like that, children. Leave it to your friend, Forest here." It was totally too late to call himself their friend. "I'll get you those Dawn Stones in no time... As long as expenses are met?" Forest looked back up to the Gallade.

"That won't be a problem at all." Edge reached into his bag, pulled out a small bulging sack that was tied tied at the top and offered it to the Kecleon. "Herein lies twenty-five nuggets. I assume we can now arrange for those Dawn Stones?"

"My, my. Haven't we been busy? Sorry to say but the price of Dawn Stones went up so you're short of another twenty-five nuggets. I'm afraid I can't accept your money."

The Kirlia looked like they were about to have a panic attack but Edge just placed a hand on his hip and levelled the Kecleon with an impatient look.

"Fine, fine." The Kecleon placed the sack of gold nuggets behind the counter. "You never could take a joke, Edge."

"This is a place of business, is it not?"

"That it is." The Color Swap Pokémon reached behind the counter a second time and placed a blank sheet of paper on the counter top. Reaching to his side, he took a quill that was sitting in a small glass of ink and used it to scribble something onto the plain sheet then placed it into an envelope. Done, Forest placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled. A moment later, a Chatot emerged from one of the back rooms through a flap located above the door designed specifically to his size and landed on the wooden counter next to the normal type. "Please take this to the Postal Center, Songbird. It is to go to the Ground Realm."

"Yes, sir." The Chatot saluted with a wing before taking the envelope in his beak and flying out a window to the Postal Center.

"If things go well, you'll have your brand new Dawn Stones in one to two days. Just be sure to have Jubilee check in. Anything else?"

"That is all, thank you. Come on, guys. We're leaving. Until next time, Forest." Edge bid his farewell.

"Looking forward to your next visit." Forest waved and turned his attention to the Jolteon that was next in line. It was carrying a bag of Thunder Stones and the Eevee around it all looked eager.

"Lucky." Intrepid pouted, exiting the building along with his friends.

"No need to be upset. I already mentioned that Dawn Stones are very rare and that it would be unlikely to find them in stock. It will be a little delayed but you will have them eventually." Edge turned around and faced his students with a smirk. "But on a more important note, congratulations to all of you. Mission accomplished. You handled the trip here better than I thought you would. The way you handled your battles on the way was also quite impressive for stage one pokémon. You've come a long way since you first started training as Ralts. I'm proud of you all." A positive feeling resonated from his now smiling students and it was enough to make him more happy than he already was. "We aren't necessarily in a rush so how about we kill a little time before heading back home? Gallant, you said you wanted to visit the Guild Collaboration Building?"

Gallant grinned in excitement and nodded but then suddenly remembered something important. "Oh, wait! Before that, can we visit the Postal Center first? I need to deliver Angel's letter."

"Very well. That's in the eastern part of the settlement. It's located among the inner ring of buildings."

"How will we get there, though? This place is huge." Stalwart pointed out.

Edge just gave them a cool smirk. "Follow me. There's something I want to show you." Edge turned and lead them on, this time walking between buildings like he was heading towards the epicenter of the large city. The group travelled a small distance until they came up to a large elevated slab where various other pokémon stood like they were waiting for something. Walking up a small flight of stairs, the psychic types stood on the platform along with the other pokémon and the Kirlia beheld a large half-pipe that stretched far and appeared to make a full circle in the area between the inner and outer formations of buildings.

"What is this place? What's with all these pokémon?" Valor asked his teacher.

"This is a station. All these pokémon are waiting." Edge answered.

"For what?" Resolute asked.

At that moment, the ground beneath them started to shake and a rumbling noise was heard in the distance. The noise got louder as whatever that was making it got closer and closer until an Onix emerged from around the corner, moving at a brisk pace within the half-pipe and carrying a platform fastened to its back. A platform that had railing supports and an awning which provided the passenger pokémon underneath it with shade. The Onix gave a mighty roar as it slowed down and pulled up next to the slab where the psychic types and the rest of the large group were waiting. "Northern Pokémon Settlement. Please be careful when getting on and off the platform." The Onix called with his large voice as his passengers offloaded.

"Come on. This big guy is our ticket to the rest of the settlement." Edge, his students and the other pokémon gathered climbed onto the platform after room was made.

"Okay this? This is awesome." Intrepid was giddy with excitement.

"You can say that again." Gallant agreed with his friend.

"Okay this-"

"No, Intrepid."

With all his new passengers on board, the Onix begun to pull from the station along the route, gradually picking up speed until he was speeding down the curving half pipe. The buildings flew by as the rock type hit close to his top speed. This was the best mode of transportation for pokémon that were either too tired or too slow to get around the Pokémon Settlement by themselves and the Onix was more than happy to offer his services. A few minutes later and the ferried crowd finally slowed to a stop at the eastern station where more pokémon were looking to get a ride as well. "We have arrived at the eastern station. Please mind your step."

Stepping off the platform, the pokémon all walked down the steps, to the main streets and branched into smaller groups each going their separate ways.

Edge and his crew in particular got off on the other side of the platform than when they first stepped on, now in the inner district of the settlement and were now on their way to the Postal Center.

"Come on. The Postal Center is this way." Edge led the five fairy types down the road and continued to walk passed the many buildings.

"This place looks even better than the outer ring." Gallant observed, noticing the trees and other fauna that had been planted at the edges of the stone road. Another small feature was that these buildings faced outward instead of inwards like the outer ring.

"The inner district focuses more on business than the outer one which focuses on more on lodging so the place was designed to look welcoming in order to attract more customers." Edge informed them.

"Well they did a really good job. But I'm sure Miss Fleur has this place beat." Valor looked around, impressed.

"I agree. If Miss Fleur used her gardening skills to add more flair, who knows how fantastic this place would look." Resolute chimed in.

"She always knew how to make anything look good with flowers. I mean just look at the garden around the Life Tree." Intrepid played with his twisted spoon a little as we walked alongside his friends. "There isn't a pokémon I know that can decorate better than she can."

"I had no idea you guys loved Fleur's work to such a degree. I'm sure she would be happy to hear that she has such admirers." Edge commented as he walked.

"It's true, though. She's no doubt the best in that department. I would even go as far as to say she can take care of a Lilligant's flower better than a Lilligant itself can. Those were her own words, actually..." Gallant placed a hand under his chin.

Edge laughed a little. It seemed the Florges was a little too confident in her abilities but no one could really blame her. If he could grow plants easier than he could eat food, he'd brag about it too. "Okay this is it." The Blade Pokémon stopped in front of a tall building with a sign above the door that read 'Pokémon Settlement Postal Center.'

"Is everything in this place huge?" Intrepid asked.

"Yes. Come on." Edge opened the door and led the adolescents in.

"Aaaaaand more counters. This place is like ninety percent business or something..." Valor quipped. The building was a large rectangular shaped one with a series of booths at the back that spanned across the entire room from which various pokémon attended several clients.

"Pretty much." Edge walked further into the establishment and turned Gallant's attention to one of the booths where an Azumarill standing on top of a Vaporeon in order to reach the Ambipom attendant were wrapping up. "Go on, Gallant. We'll wait for you here."

"Sure." Gallant nodded and walked up to the booth, standing behind the pair of water types as he waited his turn.

"So you're gonna, like, make sure our letter totally reaches our friend, right?" The Azumarill spoke with a distinct feminine accent.

"No worries, Miss. I'll see that it gets delivered." The ambidextrous normal type accepted the Aqua Rabbit's letter and placed it in a cabinet behind his counter.

"Thanks! Come on, Auqamarine. Let's go get us some poképuffs."

"I'm all over that." The Vaporeon giggled and walked away from the booth with the Azumarill still on her back.

Gallant watched them go with a fixated look on his face. "Why does that look familiar..? Oh well..." The Emotion Pokémon shrugged and made his way up to the booth. "Um, good morning."

"Good morning." The Ambipom smiled down at Gallant. "What can I help you with?"

"I would like to have this delivered, please." The Kirlia removed the rolled up parchment Angel gave him and read the small description written on the outside. "It's going to the Fighting Realm."

"Not a problem at all. The sending fee is five shards."

"Sure." Gallant reached into his bag, pulled out the requested number of shards and paid the Long Tail Pokémon who quickly put them along with his friend's parchment behind the counter.

"Would that be all?"

"Yes, thank you." Gallant smiled appreciatively at the Ambipom.

"You're quite welcome. The Fighting Realm's postal representative will be here shortly so your item will delivered in due time. Have a good day, now."

"You too. Thanks again." Gallant spun once and bowed to the attendant before making his way back to the group.

"Things went well, I assume?" Valor asked his friend.

"Yeah. We're done here."

"Cool. Now we can head over to that place where guilds gather." Intrepid said excitedly.

"Ah yes. The Guild Collaboration." Edge nodded to his students. "Come on. We're heading back to the station."

"Jollies."

* * *

 

Southern Settlement - Guild Collaboration Building

"Woah. Check out all these pokémon. Check out this place." Valor commented, looking around.

His friends walked up next to him and joined him in admiring the establishment. A counter (figures) was at the end of a room behind which sat a red, blue, green and yellow Kecleon. Tables were situated about the lower floor where different kinds of pokémon sat in a way similar to what they saw back at the Comfort Inn. Stairs on either side of the room led up to the second floor of the building where a few more pokémon stood in front of a large notice board that had many documents pinned on it.

"This is the Guild Collaboration Building, everyone. Pokémon from different realms gather here to take offered jobs and share ideas with other guilds. The pokémon you see here are all experienced in certain fields and use their expertise to take care of tasks given to them. See that board up there? Those documents are all job offers given by pokémon in need. If a guild sees a job they know they can handle, they take it up with the guild masters, those Kecleon and after getting the full details, that guild can then execute the job. If they're successful, the client pays the job fee and the guild splits the reward with the guild masters who go on to use that money to fund themselves in order to pay other pokémon of respective types to look for new jobs and support the building. It's a cycle of profit, one can say. Jobs are ranked using a star system counting from one to five. One star means just about any pokémon with any kind of experience can complete the job. Five star jobs are much more difficult and are better left for the far more experienced guilds." Edge explained to his aspiring students.

Gallant looked away from his teacher and up at the notice board with peaked curiosity. "Can we go up and have a look?" He hopefully asked.

"Well, I suppose-"

"Edge? Is that you?"

The addressed fighting type turned his head and faced an approaching Alakazam who spoke with a calm, calculating tone. Curious, the Gallade turned his entire body around and greeted the psychic type that seemed to know him. "Hello. Pardon my being rude but have we met?"

"We have. I suppose your confusion is justified considering the last time we met, I had yet to evolve so allow me to re-introduce myself. I am Xanatos." The Alakazam placed an arm horizontally in front of his chest and gave a polite bow.

"Xanatos..." A bell went off in Edge's head and his eyes widened. "No kidding? Dear Arceus, has it been that long? I don't even recognize you. How have you been?" The Gallade returned the bow.

"Quite well, my friend. And who might these young ones be?" The psychic type looked down at the Kirlia that couldn't help but feel small under the Psi Pokémon's gaze. Even from where they stood, they could feel the power that was hidden behind his polite personality.

"My students. I begun training them a little after our first meeting a few years back. They are the reason we're in the Pokémon Settlement in the first place. We had just come from making an arrangement to acquire Dawn Stones."

"Mm-hmm..." Xanatos rubbed his moustache as he studied the young fairy types in front of him. "Passing down your skills to the younger generation are you? It's good to know you've kept yourself busy. Come, let us sit down. I would very much like to trade stories with an old acquaintance."

"It would be my pleasure." Edge turned to face his students. "Have a look around the place, guys. I'm going to go chat for a bit. Tell me when you're ready to leave."

"Yes, sir." They all answered, watching as Edge walked away with the Alakazam.

"Come on. Let's check this place out while those two reminisce." Gallant restrained himself from flat-out running up the steps and simply walked up the flight of stairs in a more dignified manner.

Upon reaching the second floor, the small group wasted no time in inspecting the large board. Like Edge said, each of them was marked by a drawing of one to five stars, depending on the difficulty of the job. Walking up, Gallant begun read out the available jobs.

"Needed: A helping hand in fossil excavation in Rugged Peaks. Pays thirty shards, two stars. Help: A sudden swarm of Durant infesting the Spirit Peaks. Assistance required in dwindling their numbers, preferably from fire types. Pays two big nuggets, three stars. Help: A rare and valuable stone was lost in Spectral Forest that needs to be returned to the Ghost Realm. See guild masters for details. Pays one nugget, one star. Needed: Five or more heart scales to aid with training in the Fighting Realm. Pays three nuggets, one star. Help: A Hydreigon and Salamence have been wreaking havoc in the Seismic Highlands, making civilian travel and mining near impossible. Pays- hey!" Gallant would have liked to finish reading but that specific sheet was ripped off the notice board by a familiar looking Blaziken accompanied by a Charmeleon and Infernape.

"Sorry, kid but duty calls and this job is right up our alley." The Blaziken and his allies went down the stairs in order to inform the guild masters that they had accepted the job.

"What's an alley?" Intrepid asked.

"No idea." Resolute answered.

"On a more important note, that job said that mining is almost impossible with those dragons terrorizing the Seismic Highlands which, according to Edge, is right outside the Ground Realm. That's where that Forest idiot told that bird to mail the letter. Does that mean our Dawn Stones will be delayed?" Valor asked worriedly which alerted his friends to the potentially dire situation.

"Oh crap, what if it takes too long and we evolve into Gardevoir instead?" Intrepid grabbed and shook his friend.

"That's not so bad."

"Liar! It's bad and you know it! We didn't train on the physical side of the spectrum to evolve into Gardevoir. A physical Gradevoir? Who's ever heard of that!? We've come too far to turn back now, dude! This bad! This is- mph!"

Valor shut his panicking friend up by cramming his twisted spoon into his mouth. "Calm down, Intrepid, you're making a scene. Besides, I'm sure those fire types will have everything sorted out."

"Listen to your friend, kid." The Kirlia all turned around to see a Sceptile walking up to them. Or more specifically, the large notice board as he wasn't even looking at them. "Your plight is what gives us guilds motivation. Worry not, for you will have your precious Dawn Stones." The Sceptile stood in front of the board and skimmed through the list of available jobs.

Gallant gave the Sceptile a good look until he finally remembered who he is and was able to identify him. "Hey... You're Saber!"

"Funny... I don't recall ever giving you my name." The Forest Pokémon now stared at the Kirlia with a quizzical expression.

"Uh... No, you didn't... We heard about you from our mentor. Your name came up when he spoke about guilds." Gallant hoped he didn't offend the fully evolved grass type.

"Is that so?" Saber leaned down to their level and inspected them before standing back up. "Ah, yes. You lot are the pokémon from last night who wouldn't stop staring at our table. I did not mind but my team-mate, Serpentine, thought it was rude." The Kirlia looked at each other embarrassed. "No cause for concern. The Gallade you were with, is he not here with you?"

"Not at the moment, no." Gallant answered for them. He wanted to tell the Sceptile it was rude to pry like this but held his tongue since he and his friends were guilty of the same thing.

The Sceptile cocked his head to the side. It seemed the young pokémon weren't under supervision and if that was true he wondered what their reason for being here was. "Tell me. Are you all planning to start a guild? I see no other reason as to why you would be in this building otherwise."

"Curiosity?" Intrepid ventured.

"We had only heard about guilds last night and we had our teacher bring us here so we could see what it's like. Nothing more than that." Gallant explained.

"Oh. Well that's disappointing." Saber said, surprising them. "It would have been nice to know that more pokémon would be fighting for a greater cause since every bit helps nowadays."

"A greater cause? Like what?" Valor asked.

"Keeping the world free from threats, of course." Saber simply said. "The guilds here don't just fight for a profit. There are much bigger reasons than that. The dragons in the Seismic Highlands. The Durant in the Spirit Peaks. Wild pokémon tend to act on instinct and that instinct usually drives them into attempting to expand their territories. Even if it means attacking a realm, they can and will if they aren't taken care of quickly. A majority of these jobs are caused by wild pokémon attacks, believe is or not. It's not just the wild pokémon either. You heard that the legendary pokémon Tornadus and Thundurus recently assaulted the Tempest Peaks, have you not?"

"No, we haven't heard of any of this. We don't know who those pokémon are either..." The Kirlia never would have guessed that the world was ever in such a state of continuous conflict. Living in the Fairy Realm, they never had to worry about any sort of attack and only fought to keep their own land safe.

"You haven't? At all?" The Forest Pokémon was genuinely surprised. Legendary pokémon attacking the areas right outside their homes was a big tip off. He didn't think he would ever run into pokémon so wilfully oblivious to the happenings of the world. "Well I don't know what kind of closed circle you come from but the world is under far more turmoil than your ignorant lifestyles would have you believe." It didn't sit well with him to think that while many good pokémon risked their lives everyday, others just sat in their homes unaware of their sacrifice. He noticed the Kirlia all had startled expressions and he realized his emotions were getting the better of him. Sighing, he whipped out a small twig from seemingly nowhere and placed it in his mouth. "It seems you and I have absolutely nothing left to talk about. I bid you all a good day." Saber grabbed a five star job off the board without even reading the description and made his way passed the fairy types but stopped to face them before he could walk down the stairs. "Know that those fire types are putting their lives on the line so that you can have your Dawn Stones delivered. I hope they do not go to waste... And if they fall in battle, I hope that it will not be in vain." With those parting words, the Sceptile walked down the flight of stairs.

Now alone, the Kirlia all looked back at each other. None of them knew what to say. What could they say? It wasn't everyday you were told that there were battles that took place right at your doorstep. The Sceptile named Saber obviously hailed from the Grass Realm which also branched off from the Brilliant Meadow just like their own realm. Was it safe to assume that the reason the Brilliant Meadow was usually in a state of calm was his guild's doing? And what he said about those legendaries. For them to freely attack the various lands... Did that mean they were voluntarily malevolent? If so who's to say that there aren't other legendaries they've never heard of with the same mindset? Legendaries that could attack at any time and were too powerful to stop... The thought of waking up to a ruined world just because they knew nothing of what transpires beyond their border chilled them to the core.

"Come on." Gallant said. "Let's head back down. I think I'm ready to leave."

Agreeing, his friends followed him as they made their way back to the first floor, what they were told forever etched in their minds.

* * *

 

Guild Collaboration, First Floor - Around the same time.

"So how are things back in the Psychic Realm?" Edge asked curiously. The two psychic types sat comfortably on opposite sides of the table as they enjoyed each other's company. Both having stories to share since their first meeting in the settlement.

"Very well, thank you." Xanatos answered. "Our queen works hard to support us and maintain our home as the brilliant city it is. We could not be any more at ease."

"Ah yes, Cresselia. Through her endeavors, your kind are able to live in the sky free from the pressures that plague us land folk." Edge said in a joking manner.

The Alakazam laughed gently as he took the comment in stride. "I'm sure Xerneas works just as diligently in using his life giving power to keep his precious fairies safe." He stroked his chin. "It has been a while has it not, Edge? It seems like almost years since our first meeting right here in the Pokémon Settlement."

"By 'first meeting,' you mean my humiliating eighty-six losses in, what did you call it? Chess? Yes, I remember that quite well. You were still a Kadabra at the time, as I recall. Maybe a Metagross would have made for a better opponent." The Blade Pokémon laughed. "So what brings you to the settlement, Xanatos? Business?"

"You can say that, yes. Her Lady, Cresselia, tasked my partner, a Slowking, and I in distributing some of her Lunar Wings to the settlement. She did not even ask us to sell them. Just to give them out to as many pokémon as we could. We had split up, my partner and I. He handled the upper half of the city while I gave out as many as I could to the lower half."

Edge blinked in surprise at the news. "For sure? Just like that?"

"Indeed." The Alakazam nodded slowly. "She did not give a reason behind such an order but we were sent to this city to carry out the task our queen, Cresselia had given us. All she said was that it was of great importance that we give as many pokémon as we can pieces of her magnificent wings."

The Blade Pokémon thought on that for a moment. It was uncommon for a legendary pokémon, one from another realm where they had their own responsibilities no less, to share their gifts with second party pokémon. There was only one reason he could think of that would allow the fabled Cresselia to freely share her Lunar Wings with others but he didn't want to acknowledge it. "You don't think..?"

"Please hold your tongue, my friend. Word spreads fast in the Pokémon Settlement and we do not want to cause unnecessary panic to the masses. What with things the way they are now."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you not heard? Two of the Forces of Nature recently attacked the Tempest Peaks. The residents of Flying and Electric Realms were able to fend them off for a while and are currently working together to restore the damage done to the outskirts of their homes. 'Tis a shame that such powerful but selfish pokémon are allowed to run amok as they do. Landorus certainly has his hands tied."

Edge blinked in surprise and then sighed with his eyes closed. Of course he wouldn't know that. The Fairy Realm was a land that kept to itself because they had the mindset that the Life Tree provided for them and kept them safe from any and all threats but one couldn't really blame them because that was true. Living in a land of peace, the fairy types under Xerneas' jurisdiction never really had to bother with the outside world unless they needed something specific that could not otherwise be found in the realm. Beyond that, they were mostly invisible to everyone else. Now here Edge was, being told that legendary pokémon were running rampant, attacking everything in sight and he had no idea. It made him feel locked out of the loop.

"Is everything alright, Edge?" Xanatos asked with concern at the behavior his friend was showing.

Snapping out of his thoughts, the Blade Pokémon opened his eyes and faced the Alakazam in front of him. "Yes, thank you. Just surprised me with that news is all. So... Are you done with your errands? I don't see any of the Lunar Wings you spoke of with you."

The Psi Pokémon nodded. "Yes. I had given away the last of the wings to some of the guilds here. I was, in fact, just about leave so I could meet up with my psychic peer when I saw you and figured I could go for a quick chat with an old acquaintance while I am here."

Edge smiled. "Well it's been a pleasant experience for me, I thank you. It's always good to sit down with a friend like this. Especially since we rarely get to see each other. I'm not sure when our next meeting would be after we part ways."

"Soon, I hope. If our agendas don't get too much in our way." The two mature pokémon shared a small laugh and Xanatos turned his gaze to the upper level. "It appears your students are done admiring the establishment. I take it you will be now taking your leave?"

"Looks like it." Edge nodded and watched as his students walked down the stairs and towards the table he had occupied with his friend. "You guys done?"

The Kirlia all nodded and he sensed that they were in a more sombre mood than when he last saw them. He didn't question them, though. At least he chose not to do so in a crowded place. Perhaps they'll have a chat later.

"Okay. Let's hit the road then." Edge and Xanatos both got up, ready to leave. "It was good seeing you again, Xanatos."

"The feeling is mutual, Edge." The two shook hands and exchanged smiles. "Until next time my friend." With that, the Alakazam was engulfed in a bright light and he teleported out of the building.

Edge let out a breath as he made his way to the exit of the building, followed closely by his students. The news Xanatos had left him with gave him a lot to think about. Tornadus and Thundurus' attack on the Tempest Peaks and, more importantly, Cresselia's insistence that her Lunar Wings which have the power to grant pleasant dreams as well as protect the holder from nightmares be freely given away as if they were free samples. There was one and only one reason he could come up with that would cause Cresselia to take such action. If he was indeed in the area, it would spell rough nights for all those that were unable to get their hands on some of the Lunar Wings and that was an understatement.

Now outside, Edge turned to face his students who looked like they had a lot on their mind. "Anything you want to say before we leave? We can't hide our emotions from each other so there's no need to pretend like everything is alright."

The young fairies all looked at each other and back to their elder. "Just one question, Edge." Gallant spoke up. "Did you know that the pokémon living near the Tempest Peaks and Seismic Highlands were suffering?"

The Gallade blinked in surprise. They had heard about that too? Also, what was this about suffering in the Seismic Highlands? It appeared his students had gotten their hands on some news, themselves and he figured that's what was putting them in a bad mood. Still, their red eyes stared up at him, waiting for an answer. "No. I only just now heard about that, myself. What of it?"

"Nothing... We were just curious." Only that wasn't it at all. It seemed even their elder hadn't a clue. What happened to 'I'm an adult, I know a lot of stuff?' They were actually kind of angry. Saber's words still ate at their minds. The thought that pokémon were right now risking their lives outside the settlement for them who knew nothing about that until very recently made them feel like they were taking the world for granted. It made them sick to think that while hard-working pokémon were busy with their jobs, they were sitting comfortably at home, living the happy life without a care in the world. If they had not come on this trip and acquired Dawn Stones the easy way through Jubilee, the would have still been oblivious to all they were told. If the guild that took the job to fight the dragons fell in battle, they would not have even known. Instead just glad that they could finally evolve, blissfully ignorant smiles plastered across their damn faces while the pokémon that made it possible went forgotten and unappreciated. It made them feel like crap.

Edge knew that it wasn't simple curiosity as his sensitive chest protrusion could attest to. Something had happened that made them feel this way... But if they were unwilling to talk, he couldn't really force them. "If that's all then let us return to the Fairy Realm."

"...Shouldn't we head back to North Eastern Gate then?" Valor asked.

Edge gave him a confused look. "Well I was going to suggest we teleport back home but if you want to haul yourself through the Brilliant Meadow again, be our guest."

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Valor pouted. "You could have phrased it better."

"Where's the fun in that?" Intrepid smirked and it earned him a glare.

"Alright, enough funny stuff. Come on, everyone hold hands." It wasn't necessary but they all did as they were told. Since the Fairy Realm was miles away, a higher exertion of psychic power and concentration was needed. With their bodies all connected, Edge performed the mass teleportation. He would have allowed the Kirlia to do it on their own but it was much faster and safer this way. The area around them was enveloped in a bright glow and after a few seconds, they were gone, leaving no trace of their existence. One thing was for certain though. This trip had changed the psychic types' outlook on the world forever.

* * *

 

END CHAPTER

 


	6. Things to Come

Buying. Selling. Trading. That's what the Pokémon Settlement was all about. Pokémon from different realms coming together to offer their services in exchange for others, pushing their ever expanding relationships forward. The busy streets of the settlement were occupied by many of its residents, taking advantage of the early morning to engage in their personal activities as was always the case. Because of the large city's vast population of pokémon from all over the world, there was nothing one couldn't acquire from here. Berries, potions, battle items, evolution stones, simple treats, the place had it all. Murmuring crowds both large and small walked at their leisure about the streets for different reasons. Some to shop, some to open shop and others simply out enjoying a walk. Out of the crowd, two specific pokémon stood out, both fire types. They filtered through the other pokémon with deliberate steps, appearing to be in a rush and looking to collect crucial items with what little time they had. Items that one of them insisted would help with a job they accepted earlier, coming to a stop in front of a building with a sign that read 'Herbal Store.'

"Remind me why we had to come all the way here again? I thought we're suppose to be heading straight for the Seismic Highland." The smaller of the duo said as he and his company entered the shop.

"Not yet. We're a little low on supplies so we need to stock up." His partner explained, walking towards some shelves directly to his left from the entrance.

"From the Herbal Store? You and I both know that this stuff tastes terrible."

"Maybe. But this store has what other medicine stores don't that we might need for the trip." The Blaziken picked a few Revival Herbs from the shelf and quickly made his way to the counter, talking to his ally, a Charmeleon along the way. "Besides, check it out..." He raised the transparent plastic bag of medicine so his fellow fire type could have a better look at it. Instead of seeing some kind of powder, he instead saw what he thought were seeds of some sort. "They started grinding regular Revival Herbs and packing them into these capsules so we don't have to taste them anymore but still get their benefits."

"Oh really? That's pretty neat."

"Damn right, it's neat. Because of this simple change, the Herbal Store's popularity went up really fast. It now gives other stores a run for their money. To think that something so practical went ignored just because of its taste. Pokémon sure are picky." The Blaziken placed the medicine on the counter along with a few shards which the Audino behind it happily accepted. Nodding in gratitude to her, the Blaziken and Charmeleon retrieved their herbs and made their way back to the entrance. Now on the main street, the two fire types started heading to their next stop.

"So where's Scorcher? Why did we separate from him?" The Charmeleon asked.

"Scorcher went to the Battle Item Exchange. Said there was something he wanted to pick up from there while we're out shopping. Didn't specify what exactly but he said he'll meet us at the station. Come on." Wading through the streets a second time, the Blaziken led his friend into yet another building close to the one they were in before.

"The Gemstone Gallery? Now we're talking." The Charmeleon grinned. Both he and his partner inspected the glass casings that lined the walls of the store filled neatly with different colored gems. They were not like regular valuable gems, though. What these gems did was power up a move of a specific type. It only worked once but the boost in power was well worth it. "So what are we getting?"

The Blaziken lifted one of the lids, picking out brown, purple and orange gems, one of each and walked towards the counter managed by a Diggersby to pay for them. The exchange done, the Blaze Pokémon led his younger fire companion out of the building and down the street. This time taking a route that led to the eastern station. "Here."

The Charmeleon suddenly had a Dragon Gem shoved into his claws. Looking it over, he looked back at the remaining two gems in the Blaziken's grip. "So then that leaves you and Scorcher with the Fighting Gem and Fire Gem?"

"That's right."

"Wouldn't it be easier if I held onto the Fire-?"

"No it won't." The Blaze Pokémon stopped him right there. "You're the only one of us that can use dragon moves. Those can come in handy if we want to get the upper hand on our foes. Holding a Fire Gem won't do you any good in a battle against dragons."

"Then why did you buy a Fire Gem?"

"Because Scorcher really loves his flames." It was honest-to-Arceus as simple as that.

"I really can't argue with you there."

They continued walking like that, passing by other pokémon while engaging in conversations of different matters. From their good time in the Berry Juice Bar the previous night to even something as simple as what they had for breakfast and finally to the details of the job they had accepted not that long ago.

"What do you think dragons could possibly want from the Seismic Highland?" The Charmeleon asked.

"Can't say. Dragons don't usually need much provocation to starting ruining days. It's safe to say that diplomacy won't work and we'll end up having to fight them. You're not worried, are you?"

"Of course not. I may not be fully evolved but I'm tougher than I look." The Charmeleon punctuated his statement by flexing his claws. "Besides, it takes a dragon to defeat another dragon. That's just what I am."

"No, not really."

"You just gave me a Dragon Gem-"

"To power up your dragon 'moves.'"

"Well I'm close enough." The Flame Pokémon folded his arms stubbornly. "Still, though. A Salamence and a Hydreigon at once? And who knows what other wild pokémon we'll meet in the Seismic Highland on the way? The suck potential of this job is extremely high."

"Relax, Aiden. You've got Scorcher and I fighting with you. When we formed Team Blaze, we invited the possibility of these kind of jobs. It's like this for every guild and backing out won't leave a very good impression." The Blaziken said.

"I never said I was backing out but I'm gonna go ahead and say that I'm sure not many pokémon want to get into fights with dragon types, guild or otherwise. Maybe ice types but they're like on opposite ends of the map and I doubt they'd wanna go anywhere near a place called 'Volcanic Summit' anyway." Aiden commented as he and the Blaziken ascended a flight of brick stairs and onto a platform where other pokémon waited. Among those pokémon was their third and final teammate, Scorcher.

"Aiden. Jetstream. Took you guys long enough." The Infernape greeted them with a most carefree tone of voice, standing up straight with fingers laced lazily behind his flaming head.

"Pretty sure you only got here yourself." The Blaziken named Jetstream smirked and bumped fists with his partner.

"Sporting a new look there, Scorcher?" Aiden looked the fighting pokémon over.

"You like it? It's called an Assault Vest." The Infernape puffed out his chest a little, showing off the padded vest he wore around his torso. "This bad boy's gonna offer me increased protection from special attacks. I figured it'll be appropriate for a job like this... Goes with the flames too, that's a bonus." Scorcher gave a toothy grin. "So are we ready to go kick some draconian ass or what?"

"Definitely." Jetstream rubbed his fist in anticipation.

"You guys sure seem confident." Aiden watched as the Onix that would carry them to the South Gate of the Pokémon Settlement appeared around the bend with an accompanying rumbling sound and kicking up dust as it moved.

"What's wrong, Aiden? You scared?"

"That's what I said."

"I'm not scared!" Aiden said louder than he should have and got the attention of every other pokémon there. "Let's just go..." The Charmeleon was the first to climb on the platform fastened to the Onix's back.

"I didn't know your face could get any redder than it already is." Scorcher smirked as he leaned on the railing, right over the 'do not lean on the railing' sign.

Aiden just glared at him.

"Easy there, champ. Our enemies are the dragons that got too comfortable in the Seismic Highland, remember?" The Onix had started off and Infernape's flaming hair was now billowing in the wind.

"Speaking of, do we have everything we need?" Jetstream asked.

Both his allies looked through the bags fastened around their waists. After a little while of rummaging, they nodded affirmative.

"Got everything right here." Aiden spoke up.

"Just the essentials, really. Potions, Full Heals, all that stuff. Oh yeah and some Haban Berries too. You?"

"Pretty much the same thing. I purchased some Revival Herbs too just in case things go... South." Jetstream put it the best way he could.

"If we play our cards right, though, that shouldn't happen."

Aiden wasn't so sure, however. He had taken on a lot of jobs with his allies since his time of joining their guild but this is the first time he would be going up against dragons. Pokémon known for their brutality and resistance to many types, though not as extreme a case as steel types. Fire being one of the types it resisted which limited his attacking options. The thought that they would be engaging fully evolved ferocious dragons like this... It shook him a little. Both from fear and excitement. It was an odd feeling.

"You okay, Aiden?" Scorcher looked down at the youngest fire type.

"Yeah..." The Charmeleon raised his claws at the end of his arm and tightened them into a fist. "I'm fine."

"Not having second thoughts about the job are you? If you're uncertain, you can sit this one out and Scorcher and I-"

"No!" To suggest that he couldn't handle a battle no matter how difficult was the last thing any Charmeleon wanted to hear. "I'm not backing out of this. If I did, I wouldn't be a very good fire type or even a very supportive team member. You guys know I'm tough as nails so there's no need to worry about me. We're gonna see this job through the end just like we always do. Isn't that right?" The Charmeleon leveled them with a confident glare which was accompanied by the flame at the end of his tail growing a little larger in size.

"Now there's the Aiden I know." Jetstream smirked. "Thought we were losing you for a minute there."

"Hmph. Like I would ever wimp out of a fight." The Flame Pokémon crossed his arms and closed his eyes snobbishly.

The Onix finally started to slow down and pulled up next to the southern station. Some of the pokémon on his back got off at their stop while others remained and were joined by other pokémon looking to get a ride. Fully loaded, the Onix gave a mighty roar and sped down the half-pipe route towards the next station. Jetstream, Scorcher and Aiden descended down the flight of stairs and made their way to the Southern Gate. Few minutes passed with the only sounds being some of the pokémon around them and in time, they stopped and stood in front of the large gate flanked by a pair of Klinklang on either side. Already knowing who they were, the two steel type pokémon attatched themselves to the gear mechanisms beside them and raised the gate for the fire types, revealing the main route that would lead them to the Seismic Highland.

"Everyone ready?" Jetstream asked.

"Born ready." Scorcher replied, craning his neck and arm in a brief exercise.

"As if you have to ask." Aiden moved his bag so it rested on his back and dropped on all fours.

"Okay then... Let's do this!" The moment Jetstream finished speaking, all three fire types sprinted down the wide path at top speed, leaving nothing but dust behind them.

* * *

 

Fairy Realm

Gallant faced Intrepid from his side of the battle floor. From the time they had arrived, all the psychic types figured that since it was still early, they may as well blow some steam.

None of them had been quite ready for the revelations that had been laid on them this morning. It was bad enough that they looked like clueless fools, granted only to one pokémon but on the way to the Training Hold, Edge had decided to share with them some news he learned from the Alakazam back in the Guild Collaboration that really didn't help their mood any but to be fair, they're the ones that asked. Word was some pokémon named Darkrai had come out of whatever isolation it had apparently been in before and was free exploring who knows where... Fair enough. It's a free world, he supposed but according to their training instructor, it is a powerful legendary pokémon that involuntarily caused nightmares so hellish that it physically affected its victims just by being in the same area as them which isn't a very good thing at all. For this reason, he went on to say that the leader of the Psychic Realm, Cresselia, shared her fabled Lunar Wings, said to counteract Darkrai's power, with the populace of the Pokémon Settlement. Another thing they didn't know. It's like what next? Did Xerneas awaken in the little time they had been away from home? It was enough for Gallant to start questioning if living in the Fairy Realm kept him as safe as he was constantly told but pushed those selfish thoughts to the back of his mind. Perhaps the reason he and his friends are kept constricted in their realm is because of the clear dangers that the world was littered with, as they had been informed today. After all, he couldn't deny that if the Fairy Realm was not the paradise it was, they could have wasted away a long time ago. They had Xerneas and his life-giving power to thank for that. Still, though, he couldn't say he wasn't curious about what else happens out there.

"Ready, Gallant?" Intrepid called from a few meters ahead of him.

Pulled out of his thoughts, Gallant got into a battle stance and nodded. He was done putting unnecessary stress on himself. He needed an outlet.

From his position over to the side, Edge gave the signal for their battle to start.

Gallant and Intrepid wasted no time, sprinting toward each other and engaging in close quarters combat. Intrepid jumped up, drew his arm backwards and came down with an open palm, intending to blast his opponent with a psychic wave at point-blank range but Gallant crouched and used the momentum of his run to slide on the floor underneath the space Intrepid had left, causing his attack to miss and instead slam his open palm into the ground. From behind Intrepid, Gallant went for a psychic attack of his own but Intrepid quickly turned around and parried his arm upwards which caused his purple blast of energy to fire harmlessly to the ceiling. Still holding onto his opponent's arm, Intrepid thrust his free hand out and narrowly missed Gallant's chest who leaned to the side. Taking advantage his opening, Gallant grabbed his opponent's shoulder and brought his entire weight backwards, bringing Intrepid with him, placing his feet on his stomach and throwing him over himself and to the floor behind them. Quickly getting up, Gallant then went for another psychic attack, this time uninterrupted, aimed at his floored target.

Intrepid saw this and expelled psychic energy of his own right at the floor beneath him, the force causing him to shoot up into the air, avoiding Gallant's attack and retaliating with another long range attack. Unprepared for Intrepid's unorthodox maneuver, Gallant could only brace himself by crossing his arms in front of him, taking the attack directly which knocked him off his feet and caused him to land roughly on his back a few meters away.

"Getting soft, Gallant?" Intrepid taunted, refusing to give his friend time to recover and running up to where he had landed.

Quickly getting up, Gallant's horns suddenly lit up with a blinding flash that brightened the entire room and put strain on Intrepid's eyes. When his opponent stopped to cover his eyes from the overbearing light, Gallant used that opening to run up to his opponent, going low and whipping out with one of his legs.

Intrepid cried out when his legs were struck, losing his balance and dropping to the ground from the force but quickly rolled out of the way and avoided Gallant's follow-up strike that slammed into the ground where he previously was. Grunting from exertion, Intrepid leaped up with a twirl and bared down on the opposing Kirlia with his arm reared back who met him halfway and threw out a fist of his own aimed at his head. Both blows connected at the same time, the young pokémon crying out and reeling from the pain but not yet done. Recovering, Intrepid thrust out his palm with great telekinetic force and Gallant swung his own arm out, parrying the strike and causing the attack to expel around them as a harmless purple waft of energy. Intrepid struck forward with his left palm this time and Gallant responded by grabbing his wrist with his right hand and wrenching it to the side, redirecting his opponent's attack to where it wouldn't cause him harm. With a flash, Gallant was gone, only to reappear behind his opponent and went for another sweep at Intrepid's legs. Said Kirlia, realizing that it would be difficult to avoid the attack from his position, chose to teleport as well, relocating to the side and delivering a drop kick to Gallant's chest, knocking him to the ground once again.

"I can keep this up all-" Intrepid couldn't finish his boast as he didn't expect Gallant to be tenacious enough to immediately teleport back up with no warning and drive his fist into his chin, sending him off his feet and to the floor.

"What was that?" Gallant smirked. "I can't hear you over your bruises."

"You're one to talk!" Getting back up Intrepid ran and jumped up towards Gallant with another drop kick.

Gallant was prepared this time around and raised his arm to fire a purple psychic wave at the airborne Kirlia. Smirking, Intrepid teleported back to the ground, the attack sailing harmlessly above him and commenced another attack, running up with his arm reared back and striking forward with all the force he could muster. To his surprise and everyone else watching, Gallant didn't try to dodge this time, allowing Intrepid to strike directly and painfully at his exposed chest.

Gallant winced as the psychic attack went right through his body which caused him to droop a little and made his legs quiver as they tried to keep him balanced. Sweet Xerneas, that hurt like hell but there was motive to his reckless behavior. Latching onto the arm that struck him with one hand, Gallant reached up and placed his free palm on Intrepid's body, over his twisted spoon. Looking down, Intrepid's eyes widened in realization of what his opponent was up to but was too late to stop it.

Gallant grinned up at his friend, drawing a great amount of energy from Intrepid's own twisted spoon to power himself up and unleashing a strong psychic blast of energy that blew the screaming Kirlia across the entire room, hitting the ground, rolling a little and coming to a stop near some training equipment. His opponent was no longer moving and that made him the winner of their battle, if the loud cheers of the pokémon gathered were anything to go by. Smiling, Gallant tried to take a step forward and he immediately regretted that, dropping to his knees in pain. Resistant to the psychic type or not, Intrepid's attack bloody hurt.

"You look like crap, Gallant." Valor spoke as he walked up to his injured friend. With the fight over, the other spectators went back to their own business.

"Imagine how Intrepid feels." Gallant watched as Edge, Resolute and Stalwart went to the out-cold Intrepid's aid. It was a good thing pokémon were built to take all kinds of damage from attacks, Gallant thought. If not, it would have been dangerous to engage in these kinds of activities on a regular basis.

"He'll be fine, we do this all the time." Valor put his friend's concerns to rest and crouched down to his level. Clasping his hands together, Valor closed his eyes and performed Heal Pulse, the rippling healing waves patching up Gallant's injuries nicely. After he was finished, Valor got back up and helped his friend do the same. "Better?"

"Much better, thanks." The Kirlia stretched out and felt as healthy as he did before his spar with Intrepid. Dusting himself off, Gallant started to walk to the exit of the Training Hold at the other end of the room.

"Hey, where are you going?" Valor asked, catching up to the leaving Kirlia.

"Food stand. I've got some shards leftover from our trip and I'm in the mood for poképuffs. You coming?"

Valor looked back at the rest of his peers. It looked like the now awake Intrepid was getting treatment just fine without him so he figured his presence was not really required and began to follow Gallant. He guessed he could train later and besides, who passes up a chance to eat? "Yeah, sure."

Walking up to the door, Gallant tapped on it a few times and waited. After a bit of commotion was heard from the other side, the door was unlocked and the Kirlia came face to face with a Klefki. "Greetings! You guys done with the violence?"

"For now, thank you." Gallant responded as he and Valor walked passed the steel type fairy and towards the last door that would lead them outside. "We'll see you maybe later today, Keychain."

"I should certainly hope so! Farewell for now!" The Klefki happily moved its body side to side in a motion that caused his keys to jingle.

Now outside, Gallant and Valor walked on the comfortably spongy grass to the closest food stand they could find. Facing his friend, Valor noticed that he had an expression of deep concentration. He noticed that Gallant displayed the same behavoir when they first arrived and in the Training Hold. He didn't have an opportunity to say anything then but now that it was just the two of them, he could finally prod his friend's brain. "Got something on your mind?"

"What makes you say that?" The Kirlia kept walking.

"Gallant, our species name is the 'Emotion Pokémon' and we aren't called that because emotions fly undetected over our heads. I can tell something's up with you now are we gonna talk about it or not?" Valor tried not to sound so pushy but his curiosity was getting the better of him.

"Well since you asked so nicely." Gallant rolled his eyes. "I'm still thinking of all the stuff told to us today. Especially from that guy, Saber."

"The Sceptile?" Valor tapped his chin in remembrance. "Oh yeah. He told us that some legendary pokémon attacked the Tempest Peaks for no reason. What of it?"

"He also said that we live ignorant lives in a closed circle." Gallant reminded his friend. "Insulting as it was, he was right. I guess I just didn't feel comfortable with what he said is all. That whole guild system made me realize there's more to it out there than what we first thought. I mean sure this trip made me more savvy about the world but certainly not in a way I first expected. I didn't feel comfortable with what Edge said either." Gallant finally came up to a stand a Slurpuff had set up that sold all kinds of delicious confectioneries.

"That pokémon, Darkrai..." Valor stood next to his friend and paid for his own mint flavored poképuff. Waving in appreciation to the Slurpuff, the two resumed walking with no clear destination in mind.

"A legendary pokémon that causes physical harm through nightmares without even trying." The Kirlia bit into his colorful cupcake with a cute nom. It completely undermined the subject of their discussion.

"Scary or not, you have to admit that's a cool ability." Valor took a bite of his own poképuff.

"Cool as it is, that pokémon is out there and according to Edge, it doesn't even have to be in the realm to affect us." Gallant took another bite of his scrumptious treat, wondering just how wide an area the dark type could affect.

"Well when we wake up screaming in our beds we'll know we should be alarmed to its presence." Valor joked. "Seriously, though, I don't think this stuff should bother you so much."

"It doesn't." Valor scoffed at that. "Okay maybe it does but what can I say? It's a lot for me to take in. I'm a kid."

"I'm a kid too but you don't see me shaving years off my life with worry." Valor threw an arm around his friend's shoulders.

Looking at his fellow Kirlia, Gallant figured he was right. Saber's words, Edge's information on Darkrai and the Psychic Realm's precautions, it all shouldn't matter to him. It didn't affect him or his friends unless he directly made it his business which there was no real reason of doing. He still didn't like the idea of being forever in the dark but there was little he could do as things were. Perhaps an opportunity like one they had would open up in the future and he could get another more detailed look on the rest of the world. For now, though, all he could do was concentrate on his training and hope that the fire type guild they met would give it all they had to complete their mission and as a result, make it possible for them to come into possession of their long desired Dawn Stones.

Valor smiled as he received a positive feedback from his friend. It was good to know he was back in high spirits and no longer looking so serious. They both took final bites of their poképuffs and sighed in delight at the after-taste the cupcakes left in their mouths. "I don't know who first came up with the idea of poképuffs but I think I wanna marry them."

"Well you're in luck. I happen to know who that is and I'll be happy to tell the Stunfisk the good news." Gallant replied in jest before he and Valor shared a laugh.

"Gallant! You're back!"

Said pokémon looked to his side and saw Sylvia trotting excitedly up to them, followed closely by the blue Kirlia, Angel. Stopping right in front of them, Sylvia placed a ribbon under her chin and took on a thoughtful expression, eyeing them both intently. "Hmmm... You two are the funniest looking Gallade I've ever seen. If I didn't know better, I'd say that you're both still Kirlia."

"That's funny, Sylvia." Gallant dryly commented.

"Right?" The Sylveon jovially ignored the Emotion Pokémon's sarcasm. "My understanding was that the reason you went to the Pokémon Settlement in the first place was to get your hands on some Dawn Stones and evolve yet here you are standing the same as when you left. Were you robbed?"

Gallant and Valor fixed her with a deadpan look.

"Oh don't give me that." Sylvia dismissed their irritation. "It's only been a day but I'm sure you missed me."

Gallant ignored her and instead extended a greeting to the more reserved of the two girls. "Hey, Angel."

"Hi, Gallant. Welcome back." Angel clasped her hands behind her back and offered the male Kirlia a smile.

"Hey there." Valor offered a greeting of his own but his was instead met with a shy away and a barely audible 'hello.'

"Hey, Valor." Sylvia spoke up with a smile. "Don't mind Angel. She's... Well, Angel." The shiny Kirlia gave her friend an offended glare which went ignored. "So, did anything interesting happen on your big expedition?"

"Well-"

"Woah, hold it! Don't tell us here! Come on, let's grab some poképuffs and head on over to our spot. Then you can tell us all about it." Sylvia wrapped a ribbon around Gallant's arm and dragged him with her back to the food stand she was referring to without his consent. "We're borrowing him. I hope you don't mind?"

"Not at all, go ahead." Valor replied, amused. He would have liked to continue their conversation but seeing his friend under the control of his lady friends brought him humor. Watching the Sylveon drag a perplexed Gallant off, he turned around and started making his way back to the Training Hold to see how the others were doing. Momentarily, he thought about what Gallant told them back at the Berry Juice Bar about his opposite gender friends which he now found hilarious in this kind of context. "'Trophy wives', he said. Jokes and marriage proposals or not, that guy is whipped." Valor chortled.

* * *

 

Secluded Clearing, a little while later.

Gallant stared at his friends from where he was seated and they regarded him with surprised expressions. He had just finished explaining everything that had happened from the moment his party had stepped into the Brilliant Meadow and was now at the point where he and his team members had just made their order for Dawn Stones. His friends had asked him amusing questions throughout his story like 'What's a bar' or 'What's a bunk bed' but he was happy to answer them. From their expressions, he could tell that the Pokémon Settlement was far more than what they expected it to be. To be fair, he never expected it to be the way it turned out either.

Between them was the fairly large, elevated flat rock that had quickly become their quasi meeting table. On the rock sat three, previously six poképuffs. A chocolate deluxe, a mint and a, um, pink one? He really didn't know what flavor the pink floral pattern poképuffs were supposed to be but it didn't matter. Even though he already had one before, Sylvia didn't mind buying him some more on top of the ones she bought for Angel and herself. Hey, never look a gift Ponyta in the mouth, right?

"So what happened after you got your business out-of-the-way? Sight seeing?" Sylvia picked her second poképuff off the rock and started to devour it.

"You can say that." Gallant picked up his own delectable cupcake as he recalled their activities. "Edge said we could look around the settlement and took us on a ride to other parts of the settlement on an Onix."

"An Onix?"

"A huge snake-like pokémon made entirely out of rocks. Like, huge! It was my first time seeing one too. It carried us and other pokémon around different parts of the settlement on its back, you would have loved it! It goes station to station, offering to give rides to pokémon too fatigued or otherwise unable to get around the settlement on foot, it was the whole thing and- oh yeah!" Gallant looked right at the quiet Angel who looked surprised at his sudden change in behavior. "From there, we went to the Postal Center and I was able to deliver your letter, Angel."

"Really? Thanks, Gallant." Angel gave him an appreciative smile. "Did anything else happen after that?"

"Yeah. Edge showed us this large building called the Guild Collaboration. It's a place where pokémon from all over the world form guilds. Guilds are groups of specific pokémon from different realms that get together and use their different skills or abilities to take on all kinds of jobs for other pokémon willing to hire them. They usually involve hard labor from what my friends and I saw. Some more extreme than others. There's this one that involved a Hydreigon and Salamence attacking the Seismic Highland. That area Redolence told us about that branches into the Ground and Rock Realms. It's known for its deposits of evolution stones and other minerals but until those dragons are taken care of, mining remains a difficult act there."

Sylvia looked at Angel, both wearing shocked expressions. They had heard that most dragons were battle hungry creatures but they didn't expect it to be at such an extent that they came out of their natural habitat and attack neighboring regions. "So those dragons are what's keeping evolution stones from being delivered to the Pokémon Settlement? Doesn't that mean your order will be delayed?" Angel asked.

"Yeah it does. But one of the guilds got the job and they seemed pretty confident." Gallant told them, remembering the fire types he couldn't identify but otherwise looked strong. "If they're as good as they looked then I can be rest assured. Since guilds have apparently been this for a long time, all I can do sit here and be confident that the problem would be taken care of." Gallant now directed his attention to his female counterpart. "Say, Angel. Do you have your book with you? The one with the legendary pokémon?"

Now that the subject had been changed to books, Angel smiled brightly and Gallant could feel it in her horns. Reaching into her bag that sat next to her, she pulled out the book the male Kirlia was referring to and placed it on top of the flat rock in front of him. "What exactly are you looking for?" She was already excited by implications alone. Did he see a legendary pokémon while on his trip? If so, why did it take him this long to say anything?

Gallant turned the book around so he could get a better read and opened it to the table of contents. "Let's see... Legendary Birds, Legendary Beasts, Golems, Eon Duo, Lake Guardians, ah-ha... These guys..." Gallant went on to open the page marked by the contents that would explain the pokémon he was looking for in detail.

Angel and Sylvia walked around the rock and sat next to their male friend so they could get a better look at what he was talking about. "The Forces of Nature?"

"An apt name, I'll give them that. But these two..." Gallant pointed specifically at Tornadus and Thundurus. "They attacked the Tempest Peaks a short while back. Just thought I'd share the news."

"What?" Both girls voiced their shock in unison. Should it really be so surprising, though? It said in their description that this is the kind of stuff they did in order to entertain themselves. Still, it wasn't fair to the pokémon that lived in that area to be subjected to an attack from reckless legendary pokémon.

"That's not all. There's something else I want you guys to know about." Taking another peek at the contents, Gallant turned the pages again before coming to a new entry. An entry that depicted a shadowy figure shaped like an hourglass with long arms that ended in threatening claws. Half its dark face was obscured by its wavy long white hair and all that was visible was a single blue eye that, even in the picture, seemed to be staring right at them. The Pitch-Black Pokémon: Darkrai.

Angel and Sylvia looked at each other. They had not yet gone over this entry, themselves and they didn't have an idea about why Gallant seemed curious about it or how he even came to know about it before they did. The page gave a detailed summary of what kind of pokémon Darkrai was and listed its various abilities but out of all of them, one in particular stood out. It's Bad Dreams ability. Reported to inflict unbearable nightmares in pokémon unfortunate enough to end up too close to it and the real reason Darkrai chose to live in isolation.

"Edge met someone he knew while we were in the Pokémon Settlement and according to him, this pokémon has been sighted enough times to warrant action from the leader of the Psychic Realm, Cresselia, herself. She apparently shared her nightmare-warding Lunar Wings with residents of the settlement to keep tension at a minimum and-" Gallant suddenly stopped and looked at Angel who was rubbing her arms uncomfortably. She was no longer making eye contact with him as well and he could feel her deflated spirit in his horns. He could only wonder why. "You okay, Angel?"

The blue-haired Kirlia looked up at Gallant with concern but refrained from speaking. This nightmare-inducing dark type legendary pokémon surely couldn't be the cause of the awful dream she had the previous day... Could it? Her friend just said it was roaming the lands so it was a real possibility. The more she thought about it, the more it made sense to her and she didn't like that. She had just this morning started to get over her dream and write it off as a simple bad experience like Fleur de Lis said but there was now evidence in front of her that proved it wasn't a natural experience at all. If she acknowledged that this Darkrai was indeed the cause of her nightmare then she would also be acknowledging that it had been or still is close to the Fairy Realm.

Seeing Angel wasn't being responsive, Gallant looked to the fairy type Eeveelution for an explanation. Sylvia looked at Angel and back to Gallant, not sure how she could tackle the subject without making her friend feel worse than she already felt. Sighing, Sylvia figured she would just go for the straight forward approach, there wasn't any need for her to beat around the bush. Gallant wanted an answer and she had one. "Um... You see..." The Sylveon wrapped a comforting ribbon around her sulking friend. "Angel is upset because she had a really bad nightmare yesterday and now that you just told us that a nightmare-causing pokémon has been spotted and is freely running around... You see where this is going?"

It took a moment but Gallant's eyes started to widen ever so slightly.

"But it's probably all unrelated, right?" Sylvia gave a forced smile and she sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than her friends. "Right, Gallant?"

Gallant joined Angel and looked down at the suddenly interesting grass in deep thought and took to tugging at his muscle band with concern. Awkwardly, Sylvia did the same, her ears drooping a little and pawing at the ground. They all knew what was happening here. There was no reason to hide or pretend. Darkrai was or still is close to their home. Or, Arceus forbid, actually in the realm itself somewhere, waiting for them to fall asleep. Scared children. That's what they now were and without an adult, this kind of news was not something they could easily stomach. What started as a cheerful conversation between the three friends ended in uncomfortable silence.

"Well, damn."

* * *

 

Seismic Highland - Afternoon

A great, expanding mountainous region. That's what the Seismic Highland was. Mountains to the left, mountains to the right, mountains everywhere. There were few areas with grass that grew above a foot and there were even fewer trees. The rough terrain made it difficult for most pokémon to travel and it was true for the fire types running through it, taking the most comfortable flat route they could find. That's not to say the route they took was actually flat, it was just more manageable than the rocky high hills around them. The Seismic Highland's name was actually non-indicative as all the seismic activity came from the many ground and rock types that lived underground or in caves with none of it being of natural occurrence. Whether it be tunnelling, defending turf or displaying dominance, earthquakes and other small tremors would be set off now and then. In extreme cases, some earthquakes can become so severe that it affects large parts of the region and changes the geography forever, though that rarely happened. It didn't matter to the fire types any as they were here for one thing and one thing only. Dragon hunting.

Jetstream, Scorcher and Aiden had slowed from their full-blown sprint and were traveling at a much more steady pace. It wouldn't do well for them to use up so much energy before they even met their marks.

"Where are these things anyway?" Aiden impatiently asked, running on all fours and leaping over a large rock. "Please tell me we don't have to scrounge every nook and cranny for these bastards?"

"I hope not. We'd be here all day if that was the case. Maybe all week." Jetstream answered from Aiden's left, his long and powerful legs being far from tired despite the distance they had traveled.

"Imagine if they actually left a long time ago. Now that would suck." Scorcher commented from his running position on the right.

"Can I suggest something then?" Aiden started to slow down. Noticing this, his teammates slowed to a stop as well.

"Got something in mind?" Jetstream stood with his arms folded.

"Yeah." The Charmeleon stood up straight and dusted his claws. "We've been running for what like an hour now? And we've made pretty much zero progress. Why not just direct the attention to us? Those things can fly. From the air it'll be easier for the dragons to find us before we find them if we make enough commotion."

"That could work... Okay, Aiden, how do you think we should go about this?" Scorcher asked expectantly.

"How about fire-breathing?" The Flame Pokémon rested an elbow upon his open palm and pointed upwards. "We all shoot our flames skyward. That kind of make-shift beacon should be enough to attract their attention no matter where they are, right? If they're the battle hungry pokémon we know they are, they wouldn't pass up a chance for a potential encounter."

Jetstream and Scorcher smirked. That was certainly a good plan and it was a reminder that the young fire type wasn't actually as young as he first appeared. Well he was but the point here was that he's mature for his age. Details. "Alright, Aiden. Let's try it."

The three fire types promptly walked closer to each other until they were separated by only a few feet. Nodding to one another, the three took deep breaths blasted massive pillars of blazing flames out of their mouths aimed at the sky. The flames combined into one massive super heated stream of fire that travelled a good one hundred meters above them. This went on for a little more than ten seconds before their lungs started to strain and they had to stop in order to inhale.

"You think that worked?" Scorcher asked as he got his breathing under control.

"Man, I hope so." Aiden took deep breaths.

"Guess we'll just have to wait and see. Let's catch our breath in the meantime." Jetsream suggested.

So they did. They waited and waited. And waited... And... Waited...

"Anything?" Aiden hopefully asked.

"It's been a minute, relax." The Blaziken informed from his seat on a rock.

"Yeah but we still have a whole lot of nothing." Aiden made an impatient noise. So much for maturity.

"I find it odd that your own idea has led you into boredom." Scorcher was on his back, arms behind his head and resting one leg over the other. "Just give it a little more time."

"Yeah, yeah..." Aiden kicked a small rock away from him. He didn't know how much more he could wait. He was just about to suggest they resume running around when he suddenly heard a roar that alerted him as well as the other two fire pokémon. "Now we're talking!" The Charmeleon gave a toothy grin and started looking around with thinly veiled excitement. Another roar, this one followed by the earth shaking under their feet before the ground erupted in a dramatic display that sent debris flying all over the place and out from the new hole came... An Onix.

"Laaaaaaaaaaaame!" Aiden complained.

"Hmmm..." Scorcher stared at the massive rock type for a little while and then went back to laying on the ground.

"You think it saw our flames from a distance and burrowed its way here?" Jetstream asked, not at all threatened by the large pokémon in front of him.

"Who cares, it's an Onix." Aiden wasn't even looking at it and was instead keeping an eye out for the dragon types they were after.

Noticing its prey weren't paying much attention to it, the Onix gave its loudest, most intimidating roar at them before initiating its attack and making a lunge at the Charmeleon. Oh, how they would pay for their insolence. Opening its large mouth, the rock snake closed in on the young fire type who decided enough was enough and channeled the steel type into its claws then used them to take a wide and painful swipe at the Onix's lower jaw, fracturing the left side of it and knocking it to the ground. Dazed, the rock type shook its head but wasn't yet ready for another attack. An attack that came from right underneath it. The ground erupted a second time from below it and the large Onix found itself caught in the mouth of an even larger Steelix. The Onix cried out in pain as the trapped part of its body became littered with cracks under the pressure until its comparatively weak stone structure gave out and shattered in half between the Steelix's strong jaws. Triumphant, the Iron Snake Pokémon let out a roar to the heavens that shook even the loose rocks and grass around them before leveling its scornful red eyes down at the fire types who were now on guard. Now that the violent act of natural selection was over, the three fire type pokémon were prepared to blast the steel type to hell with their scorching flames when the skies above them suddenly darkened and the clouds were split by an onslaught of flaming boulders that rained down on the area all four pokémon were occupying.

"Oh, you have got to be kidding me..." Jetstream commented and his legs immediately got to work. "Everyone, scatter!"

Not needing to be told twice, the rest of his team kicked their limbs into high gear and ran in different directions to avoid the meteor shower that had been summoned to ensure them a painful demise. Aiden dropped on all fours and ran in zig-zag patterns, using the shadows of the giant boulders to discern where they would strike and how he would avoid them. Scorcher and Jetstream ran opposite ends from each other, using their high agility to expertly dodge the falling meteorites and even flip over the ones that fell right in front of them. Scorcher made a giant leap over a rock formation but, unfortunately, wasn't ready to find a steep slope on the other side of the rocks, causing him to roll almost all the way downhill but quickly regaining his footing and skidding to a halt at the bottom of the slope. He looked around. The Infernape appeared to be in a new area that was completely flat and had no grass or trees growing anywhere but instead little holes that decorated the ground.

"A Diglet nest?" Scrocher pondered to himself. That last attack must have scared them enough for them to flee deep underground and he couldn't really blame them. Looking up where he came from, he realized that he could easily scale the high slope and regroup with the rest of his team. As he prepared to do just that, the Steelix from before appeared at the top of the hill and barreled down the hill to the same level, passed the Infernape and gave a loud roar at its intended target while rotating the spikes that jutted out from parts of its body to look more intimidating. Scorcher just scoffed. The steel type looked no worse for wear from being struck by the Draco Meteor attack and that must have been the source of its confidence but he was not just a fire type, he was also a fighting type and if it's a fight the Iron Snake Pokémon wanted he was certainly going to give it one.

"Bring it on, ugly." Scorcher raised his hand and taunted the Steelix with a 'come on' motion.

The Steelix did just that, sweeping its tail around, kicking up dirt and striking out at the Infernape who easily jumped onto it while it was still in motion, ran up the entire length of the steel type's body and delivering a blazing flip kick aimed right at its head. The force of the attack was enough that the Steelix's upper body snapped backwards and Scorcher followed his attack up by driving a Fire Punch straight into its exposed lower jaw which caused it to slam onto its back in a dusty heap. It wasn't done, though, as it easily recovered and rose back up. Its jaw was blackened by the Infernape's fire attacks and there were two large dents in it but it was still willing to battle. The Steelix locked its red eyes with its opponent that stood in middle of the field. Growling, the Steelix begun to collect a swirling mass of pure energy in its mouth and, when it felt that it was more than enough, fired a destructive beam right at its target.

"Please." Scorcher drawled as he sprinted to the side and easily outran the Hyper Beam. The Steelix didn't let up, though, as it followed the Infernape's movements with its head, its perpetual beam of energy defacing the ground and leaving a deep trench wherever it passed in hopes that it would incinerate the elusive fire type but Scorcher was just too quick for it. When the Steelix finally ceased with its attack to recharge its lost energy, he commenced his own attack, pulling out the Fire Gem from his bag and then tossing his bag to the side so it wouldn't get damaged. Activating the glowing orange gem in his hand, Scorcher manipulated his primary type to cloak his entire body in flame before shooting forward like a rocket and leaving a resulting blazing trail behind him as well as a small crater where he once stood. Too fatigued to act, the steel type could do nothing but take the attack head-on and hope that it's body would be able to survive the blow. Heh, yeah right. Scorcher's attack was so powerful and his body temperature so high that he blew a smoldering hole right through the Steelix's midsection and it reacted by giving a loud pained cry then falling over, defeated.

"Flare Blitz." Scorcher informed from the where he landed behind the Steelix as its body dropped lifelessly to the ground. "Deal with it." Done, he tossed the now useless, dulled grey gem to the ground and walked around the steel type's corpse to where he had tossed his bag. After securely fastening his bag around his waist, he ran back towards the slope while simultaneously reaching in and pulling out a Sitrus Berry, swallowing it whole to recover the energy he lost from his previous double-edged attack. He could already hear explosions and see rampant flames from the other side of the rock formation at the top of the hill and hurried his pace to aid his allies.

* * *

 

Aiden gave a guttural grow, baring his fangs at his mark. The Hydreigon in front of him certainly knew how to make an entrance. What with attempting to kill him and his allies by dropping meteorites on them that were now scattered harmlessly around the terrain, resting in the craters they made when they struck the surface. He was on all four of his limbs again in a primal stance, his claws digging into the ground. His flame tipped tail waved side to side in anticipation. When his team first took the job, he was excited at the prospect of fighting a dragon type for the very first time but now that there was an extremely violent three-headed dragon in front of him, it became clear to him just how dangerous the job actually was. This guy and the Salamence, wherever it was, were the reason that the ground types couldn't do as much mining as they wanted to and there was obviously a good reason for that. He didn't know the full extent of the Brutal Pokémon's power but he could tell that this is a foe unlike the ones he faced in the past.

"What's the matter, lizard? Do I frighten you?" The Hydreigon taunted.

Aiden glared at the dark dragon. According a few sources, 'Lizard' was a hateful slur dragons directed at each other. It's a demeaning term that implied one was too pathetic and small to stand up to another. Being the prideful pokémon they were, it was easy to see why it was such a big insult. Looking around, he didn't see Jetstream or Scorcher anywhere so it was just him and his much larger opponent. A direct hit from it would be pretty bad but if he was faster, he could work around that problem.

Levitating on its six wings, it came as a surprise to the Hydreigon when the Charmeleon in front of it was enveloped in a draconian aura. It recognized the move as Dragon Dance and all three of its heads roared in preparation at the idea of fighting a foe that could actually make it break a sweat.

From where he was standing, Aiden continued to power himself up, the fierce dragon aura stimulating the muscles in his body and making him faster as well as stronger. Looking up, he growled at the opposing dragon as a challenge to which it gladly accepted. The Charmeleon ran at the Hydreigon at high speeds, jumping up with his claws reared back and swinging them at the Hydreigon which responded by biting down on Aiden's extended arm with one of its heads and tossing the fire type down to the ground right in front of it. Inhaling, the Brutal Pokémon expelled from its main head a pulsing shockwave that pulverized the ground in front of it and would have certainly caused serious damage to the fire type had he not utilized his increased speed to dodge backwards in time.

Just before Aiden could attack again, the Hydreigon flapped its wings and blew dust at him, causing him to cough and cover his eyes. The Hydreigon took advantage of Aiden's temporary blind state and flew at him from a low altitude before giving him a back-hand (or back-head) that sent the fire type tumbling a few meters back and hitting into a rock. Getting up on shaky legs, Aiden coughed a little and held his aching side. Looking at his opponent, his eyes widened and he performed a diving roll, narrowly avoiding the Dragon Pulse that reduced the rock he landed against to rubble. The young fire type wasn't given any time to breathe as the ground beneath him started to get unnaturally hot. Moving fast, Aiden instinctively jumped to his right just as a pillar of earthly force erupted from the spot he had just been and continued to run as fast as his limbs could allow in order to evade the rest of the similar attacks that exploded dangerously close behind him.

The Hydreigon continued to relentlessly attack the fire type using Earth Power over and over, curious to know how much his target could take. When Aiden realized the dragon type settled with bombarding him with the same attack, he figured he might as well let rip with some attacks of his own while on the move. They might not be that accurate with him running like this but anything would be enough in this position. Taking a deep breath, Aiden fired volleys of fireballs at the Hydreigon as he ran a circle around it. The Hydreigon reacted by ceasing its assault and casually dodging to the side, raising its secondary heads and firing some flaming projectiles of its own that knocked Aiden's out of the air with the rest flying straight at him. Seeing this, Aiden stopped dead in his tracks snarled at the incoming fireballs.

"How's this then?" Aiden briefly craned his head back and spat a fireball larger than even his foe that spun momentarily before taking on a star shape and cruising at the Hydreigon, swallowing the flames that were aimed at him in the process.

The Hydreigon's eyes blinked in surprise and it crossed it arms over its face at the last second, not expecting the Charmeleon to be capable of such a powerful attack. The Fire Blast hit and the dragon was engulfed in a huge explosion that also charred a good deal of the terrain around it. When the smoke cleared, the Hydreigon lowered its arms and glared at the fire type with an epic fury in its red eyes. The parts of its body it couldn't protect were covered with burn marks and there were flames on the ground around it that continued to burn down what the initial attack couldn't.

"What's wrong, lizard? Can't take a hit?" Aiden smirked.

The savage dragon gave a roar so strong that it knocked the overconfident fire type off his feet and extinguished any flames in front of it. No longer playing around, the Hydreigon flew as fast as it could at the floored Charmeleon and was ready to rip him apart. Fortunately, Aiden was able to halt himself by digging his claws into the dirt and hastily ducked low, avoiding the Crunch the Brutal Pokémon used to try and bite his head off then dug his claws into its tail as it flew over him. Grunting from great effort, Aiden yanked at the dark type's captured tail as hard as he could, using it to swing the dragon round and around, eventually building enough momentum to send it flying at one of the meteorites it summoned. Slamming into the boulder with its back, the Hydreigon cried out from the abuse and the force of Aiden's throw was enough for it to leave a deep crack on the surface.

Aiden panted. He dropped to one knee and placed an arm on the other. He looked up at the dragon as it picked itself up from the ground. Its black sclera and red irises just screamed malice and if it could look any angrier, Aiden would have been honestly surprised. Flapping its black wings, The Hydreigon floated a little into the air and gave a feral roar upwards. A moment later and the sky darkened, a new shower of meteorites falling towards their battlefield while the Hydreigon fixed him with a most spiteful look.

"Yeah? Well I'm not done either!" Aiden bared his claws and ran directly at the Hydreigon, observing that the meteors only dropped around his opponent and not actually close to it. If he could get within striking distance, he was golden. He continued to run, dodging the free-falling flaming boulders around him to the best of his abilities and establishing that the Dragon Dance he used before wasn't just for show. The Hydreigon saw this and decided to put pressure on its opponent by firing off another attack. Aiden saw the dragon fire a red ball of energy that was coming right at him and his reflexes went straight to work. He skid to a halt and then made a break for it to the left, avoiding the first blast that exploded in a fiery fashion against a meteor that had landed behind him. Noticing the shadow of another meteorite, Aiden stopped dead in his tracks, letting the giant boulder drop ahead of him and crossed his arms in front of his face to protect himself from the shockwave it caused when it impacted the earth. Right after the burning rock had landed, the Hydreigon's second projectile hit into it and froze it solid. Aiden continued his pursuit, jumping over the harmless boulder and getting ever closer to his mark. The final projectile was coming right at him and this time, there was nothing to hide behind. Tapping into all he had, Aiden defiantly continued his charge against his foe and reached into his bag, pulling out the Dragon Gem he was given while simultaneously spitting a stream of fire at the yellow ball of energy.

The Hydreigon watched from its perspective as its target's flames met the third projectile of its Tri Attack, the both of them exploding in a combination of smoke, flames and electricity. Just to be sure, the Brutal Pokémon prepared to fire one last Dragon Pulse when out of the smoke emerged the Charmeleon covered in a bursting aura, wearing a furious expression and determined to bring it down.

The rage-fueled Aiden kicked things off by clenching his claws into fists, striking his opponent's jaw with an uppercut which caused the dragon's head to snap back and launch its attack into the air. The Charmeleon then drove his other fist into the dark type's stomach and sent it flying back to the ground where it landed hard enough to kick up dirt and rocks around it. Aiden wasn't finished, falling back down himself with a fist reared back aimed at the grounded Hydreigon. Aiden's opponent roared unyieldingly at him, getting up and flapping its wings forwards which propelled it backwards out of reach of his attack that wrecked the spot where he landed. Still not giving up, the Flame Pokémon pursued his foe with zig-zagging maneuvers, throwing its timing off then jumped up with a spinning motion, catching it right in its chest with his claws and sending it flying into a lone tree that snapped in half and sent splinters everywhere. Absolutely refusing to give in, the Hydreigon recovered and breathed an intense blast of draconian energy that incinerated the falling tree in front of it but missed his opponent that was quick on his feet. Sprinting head-on at his foe, Aiden made to attack one last time before his state of Outrage diminished. The Hydreigon wrapped its arms around itself and coated its body in a dark aura before swinging its arms outwards and sending a ring of pure darkness outwards in a large radius that killed what little plant life their battlefield was left with. Seeing this, Aiden's realized that his only route of escape from such an attack was the air so up he jumped, his legs launching him some few meters skyward, directly over his opponent.

The Hydreigon gave a cruel smirk. With his opponent in the air like this, there was no way he would be able to dodge and with this knowledge, it inhaled deeply and fired a charged Dragon Pulse aimed right at the Charmeleon. Smirking himself, Aiden twisted his head and breathed fire off to the side, the recoil of his attack propelling him out of range of his opponent's. With its head still aimed skyward, the Hydreigon clearly did not expect the fire type to pull such a maneuver if the shock on its face was any indication and that moment of hesitation was all he needed. Touching down on the ground, Aiden pulled his fist back and all the bursting draconic energy flowing from his body went straight into it before unleashing it all in a single explosive haymaker to the Hydreigon's side that sent it careening through their battlefield. The Hydreigon continued to tumble aggressively like a skipping stone on water before slamming into a large rock and leaving a huge indentation in it. The dragon's eyes were wide, its body aching all over as it felt itself slowly fall to the ground.

Aiden didn't even have time to relish his victory as his fatigue finally caught up to him. His vision was blurred and he fought to stand straight, taking clumsy steps as if he was drunk. He dropped to his claws and knees, fighting to stay awake and chanced a look forward where his defeated opponent was... Getting back up? This is bad. This is really bad. He didn't have the energy to keep fighting but he got back up anyway. He watched the Hydreigon float imposingly towards him. It was but a black and blue blur in his hazy vision and he shook his head in order to regain his bearings but no such luck. The dragon was now a few steps in front of him and he could hear its rapid breathing.

"I'm..." Aiden took a staggered step forward. "I'm not done yet either." Aiden tiredly took a swipe at the air and promptly fell flat on his face.

The Hydreigon snorted. Indeed this little lizard had put up quite an unexpected fight but it was only prolonging the inevitable. Its time was now at an end. Raising one of its secondary heads, the dragon took careful aim at the Charmeleon and readied the attack that would take its life.

"Heads up!" The Hydreigon looked to the side at the source of the voice and its face met the business end of an Infernape's foot that forced it to the ground. Again, it got back up and faced the new threat while rubbing the sore side of its face. It glared at Scorcher who stood with a hand on his hip and wearing a cocky smile on his face. Seething with rage, the Hydreigon attacked the Infernape but the fire type was faster, giving a quick jab to its face, driving a knee to its stomach that it exposed when it covered its face, an elbow to the top of its head when it wrapped its arms around its abused stomach and finished with a spinning back kick to its chest that sent it flying. It was out cold before it hit the ground.

Scorcher stared at the defeated dragon for a moment before switching his gaze down at his ally who had exhausted himself and was sleeping soundly right there on the floor. Walking forward, he picked up the Charmeleon and hoisted him over his shoulder. He looked pretty roughed up but so did his opponent. Scorcher had watched the last leg of the battle and he was quite impressed with the way Aiden handled himself considering that this was the very first time he ever fought a dragon. 'Tough as nails,' indeed.

"Well, that's one dragon down." Scorcher commented, looking up at where he could hear another battle taking place. "Waiting on you, Jetstream."

* * *

 

Jetstream used Protect, encasing himself in an impenetrable barrier as the Salamence attempted run him down with a Dragon Claw, its sharp claws sending sparks into the air when they scraped against his projected shield. He locked eyes with his opponent who stared daggers back at him. What started as a simple hunt escalated into a fierce rivalry. He didn't think he would ended up hating this pokémon as much as he did. He was surprised when she first spoke, something wild pokémon rarely did. His next surprise came when she gave him her name; Calamity. Seeing as he could properly communicate with her, his first action was to demand what the meaning of the dragon's assault on the Seismic Highland was. Her motive for attacking the the land of the ground types was simple. 'The thrill of battle,' she said. She and the Hydreigon came from the Dragon Realm looking to do battle with as many powerful opponents as they could and according to her, they had done this before in the Volcanic Summit before they moved on to the next area. They were dragons. Prideful creatures that lived for battle and to her, that reason was justifiable enough to seek out opponents wherever they may be. Jetstream didn't agree, going on to insult the Salamence by implying that such actions made her a weak pokémon, the weakest dragon in fact, who could only win battles by taking advantage of weaker pokémon. Naturally, the Dragon Pokémon took an immediate disliking of the Blaze Pokémon which led to their clash.

The barrier that Jetstream projected around himself started to vanish but that was fine as it gave him more than enough time for his ability to activate. The Salamence took another dangerous swipe at his neck and he used his increased speed to step out of harm's way before retaliating with a rising knee to its chin, using the same motion to bring his other leg around in an axe kick that shattered the ground when the dragon dodged backwards. Calamity barely registered the ineffective strike but Jetstream thought she looked funny with a scorch mark on her face even from this distance.

"Too fast for you?"

"Not in the least!" Calamity spread her wings, tensing her muscles and summoning a raging aura around her as she performed Dragon Dance. Ready to continue, the Salamence flew at her opponent with alarming speed and power, digging her right claw into the ground and tracing a gash as she went.

Jetstream ran at break-neck speeds and met her halfway, striking out with an inwards burning roundhouse that clashed with Calamity's Dragon Claw, the collision of their attacks sending a shockwave resonating through the area. With the same leg, the Blaziken gave a high kick that was caught between the Salamence's front legs who went on to swing him around and toss him at the closest boulder. Jetstream, being the experienced fire type he was, flipped mid-air, used the power in his legs to rebound off the rock and launched himself like a bullet back at the Salamence. Flames burst out of the Blaziken's wrists as he attempted a double Fire Punch but Calamity raised her front legs again and caught Jetstream's fists in her claws, causing the flames to extinguish around their joined limbs.

"There's no way you can use your lust for battle as an excuse to bring ruin to this land. Do you have any idea how many innocent pokémon your actions have affected?" Jetstream demanded. The both of them had their free limbs anchored to the ground, neither willing to let up.

"It matters not to me." Calamity roughly shoved the fire type backwards and fired a Dragon Pulse at him while he was imbalanced.

"It should!" Jetstream leaned his body back at an almost impossible angle, feeling the heat and power of the attack as it sailed over him. "The residents of the Ground Realm aren't able mine the deposits of their own land. This directly affects pokémon not just in the Pokémon Settlement but in other realms as well. How could you act so selfishly!?" The Blaziken punched at the air and, from his wrist, sent a Flamethrower at his foe who simply flapped her wings with enough force to nullify the attack.

"Selfishly? I simply act on instinct. Do you mean to condemn me for exhibiting my primal need to battle? A trait common with all pokémonkind?" Calamity flew high up and circled Jetstream, firing off her breath attack in rapid succession down at the Blaze Pokémon who continued to fire his own projectiles up at the gracefully soaring dragon. Using a combination of his speed and a series of back-flips, Jetstream easily avoided the dragon type's assault which tore up the terrain and was backed by loud booming sounds. Calamity, deciding to switch to physical, made a dive bomb at the Blaziken.

"You're wrong! I won't lie. Pokémon indeed do battle with each other but not to the standards you speak of. You're no more different than a wild specimen!" Jetstream's body glowed red as his Speed Boost ability activated again. Calamity blinked in surprise when the Blaziken that was just in front of her vanished in an instant just as she stomped down on the spot he had just been standing on, leaving a small crater in the ground under her weight. Jetstream's speed at this point was so high that Calamity found herself unable to keep up anymore. Hearing a slight tremor that got louder by the second, the Salamence fled back into the sky just as incredibly sharp stalagmites jutted out of the ground where she was once standing.

Calamity continued to fly higher still, making sure the Blaziken would not be able to reach her at this new altitude. Looking around the mountainous region, the Salamence tried to pinpoint the location of her opponent, confident that he would not be able harm her while this high up. Turning around, her confidence level dropped when Jetstream, now airborne as well, rocketed at her and was moving faster than she herself could. The Blaze Pokémon was now a red blur. Getting closer to his mark by the second, he extended his arm right at his opponent's jaw in a crushing Sky Uppercut that knocked her head back then went on to wrap his leg's around the dragon's exposed neck, pivoting his body backwards and flung her back towards the ground like a catapult. Just before hitting solid ground, Calamity beat her wings down and slowed her decent inches from the surface then propelled herself back just in time as Jetsream's fist slammed into the ground, sending debris all around him. Calamity whipped her tail around at the Blaziken but, again, he was too fast and was only getting faster. Jetstream easily dodged back, lifted his leg and brought it down on the Salamence's tail. Calamity roared, her hatred for the fire type growing by the second and she rapidly flapped her wings which kicked up a cloud of dust that forced Jetstream to retreat to a more open area.

Jetstream watched the as the cloud of dust that was concealing his opponent was blown away by a ferocious draconic aura that overflowed from her body and made his feathers ruffle from the force alone. He narrowed his eyes at his mark and she looked back at him with sheer contempt. He never thought he would end up hating a pokémon as much as he did now. The dragon in front of him went against everything a guild stood for. Things were already bad enough with the spontaneous attacks from both wild and legendary pokémon but the fact that a member of a realm with the right mind would so willingly attack other lands... It was inexcusable. Unheard of even and it was with that mentality that Jetstream continued his tireless charge, advancing forward and leaving an after-image behind him.

Calamity roared and flew at high speeds towards the fast approaching Blaziken. A blue blur met a red one at various points on the battlefield, sending booming shockwaves wherever their attacks met. They were going a mile a minute, Calamity's sharp claws clashing violently with Jetstream's strong talons which sent more sparks and flicks of flame into the air. The Blaziken's footwork was unparalleled, occasionally shifting from leg to leg as he met the Salamence's relentless strikes with his own.

"Having a different attitude from me does not assert yourself from what you really are! A pokémon! A monster that lives for battle! It should not matter to either of us what our opinions are! Look at yourself! If you did not live for battle... You would not be here this day!" Calamity withdrew, stomped her entire weight into the ground and cast Stone Edge, the sharp stalagmites erupting from the earth and chasing down the Blaziken in while trying to impale him.

"Lies." Jetstream disputed as he easily outran the attack born from the Salamence's fury. "I'm nothing like you. The reason I'm here is because unlike you, I have something worth fighting for. Had you not so arrogantly attacked this land, we would not be having this pointless battle!" The Blaziken made a Beedrill line for his opponent, zipping right through the gaps that separated the giant earth spikes. Close, Jetstream redirected his attack on the Salamence and in a flash, he was gone from her vision only to reappear to her left and deliver a hurricane Blaze Kick right in her ribs that sent her flying through the air before landing painfully on the ground.

"Spare me..." Calamity got right back up as the hard plate that covered the vitals of her body absorbed the blow. "A fight like this is always inevitable. You will meet more pokémon like me. Battles are always around the corner. Rampant legendaries, swarms of wild pokémon... You will never escape it. We battle until we die and I have long since embraced that fact. The weak die and the strong survive..." The Salamence began to channel new energy in her body. "That's just how the world works!" Calamity opened her mouth wide ejected a large volume of water that traveled at high velocity towards the Blaziken.

Jetstream's eyes widened with shock, not expecting his opponent to be carrying Hydro Pump. Thinking quickly, Jetstream thrust his burning fists forwards and launched an equally large stream of fire at the incoming torrent of water. Both attacks collided and cancelled each other out, resulting in a thick collection of steam that enveloped their battleground. Calamity searched all around her, squinting her eyes as she tried to make her opponent out in the suspended water droplets. Hearing a noise, she turned around and was forced to endure an excruciating flip kick that broke her jaw that sent her flying out of the mist and high into the air. Not yet finished, Jetstream jumped into the air himself above the Salamence and reached into his bag, pulling out his Fighting Gem. With the gem now backing the power of the fighting move of his choice and Jetstream's body glowing red in one last activation of Speed Boost, he unleashed his final attack. Crying out with a horizontal spin, Jetstream thrust his knee out against the Dragon Pokémon's chest with all the power his body would allow, knocking the wind out of her and sending both his opponent and himself falling to the ground like a comet. With cruel defiance, Calamity still continued to fight back during the free fall, using her claws to slash at the leg that was pressed against her chest. Jetstream winced as he took the abuse, his opponent's assault drawing his blood and leaving three nasty gashes in his skin. He endured it, though, forcing more or his weight against the dragon as they fell closer and closer to the earth before they finally impacted the surface. A collision that was so powerful that it caused the ground to crumble underneath them and further caused the biggest shockwave yet to blow through the entire area. When the dust cleared, it revealed a panting Jetstream, his knee was still on the Salamence's chest and the blood from his injury continued to drip down his leg. Calamity was unmoving but her chest rose and fell in rhythm, indicating that she was still alive. Not that the Blaze Pokémon's intention was to kill her. She was resident of the Dragon Realm. Despicable as she was, she had a place to call home and killing someone like her would leave a severe black mark on his conscience.

Sighing, Jetstream got off the defeated dragon and limped away from her body before settling on the ground to catch his breath. He placed one of his arms on a raised knee and leaned his forehead against it. He had fought dragons in the past as his own home was part of the Volcanic Summit but this was the first time he fought one that wasn't wild. The experience was something else to say the least and he hoped it would be a while before he had to fight another one.

When he felt a sudden breeze, he looked back up and saw a Hydreigon that was hovering above the Salamence's body. He jumped up, balancing on his good leg and met its gaze with his own. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that it was wounded and guessed that it must have clashed with his teammates after they had separated. Even though the Hydreigon stared him down with a hostile glare, it did not attack him, instead using its right head to reach down and pick up its fellow dragon by the tail. The dark type glared at him with its red and black eyes for a few seconds more before taking to the skies and over the horizon. Jetstream sighed in relief put his raised leg back down but was careful not to put pressure on it.

"Looks like it's mission complete."

Jetstream looked to his right and watched as Scorcher walked up to him with Aiden draped over his shoulder. "Is he okay?" He asked out of concern for their young friend.

"He's fine. Just exhausted is all. You should have seen him in action. Bugger took on the Hydreigon all by himself for a good while before I intervened. He deserves a cookie or something." The Infernape looked down at Jetstream's leg. "That doesn't look good."

"I'll be fine." Jetstream reached into his bag, pulled out a Hyper Potion and gulped it all down, sighing in content at the end. "Say... What happened to the Steelix from before? Did it run when the dragons appeared?"

"Nah. It challenged me and I killed it." It was strange to hear him say such a thing so casually but he got used to his partner's mannerisms a long time ago.

The Blaziken looked around and saw all the devastation their battles had caused. Scorch marks, craters, fallen trees and the like dotted the field. What happened on the surface didn't affect the pokémon that lived underground, though, that was good. Since there was nothing left for them here, he and his partner started making their way back to the Pokémon Settlement to inform the Guild Masters of their completed job and claim their reward. He would also need to get his leg looked at and Aiden's own injuries would need to get treated as well. He still had the Revival Herbs he bought from the Herbal Store but he decided to just let Aiden rest. He thought about what the Dragon Pokémon had told him and hoped that the battles that took place in the Seismic Highland was not an event that would repeat itself. Then again, if Calamity or any other trouble makers misbehaved, he would be more than happy to beat some sense into them.

"You and Aiden look like hell. I guess I'm the only one of us here that knows how to properly battle." The Infernape boasted.

Without looking, Jetstream raised an arm and gave his friend a jab in the ribs hard enough to leave a bruise.

"What the hell!?" Scorcher demanded, rubbing his aching side.

"Oh no, you got injured. Looks like you'll be joining us in the infirmary."

"You suck!"

* * *

 

Fairy Realm

It was now night-time and the moon cast its gentle glow upon the slumbering Fairy Realm. The only sound that was heard in the silent home of the fairy types was the grass as it shifted under the gentle steps of the lone awake resident. The Emotion Pokémon stopped and stared at the wide entrance to his home. He was troubled. The day's stress had been enough that he found himself unable to sleep and that was the reason for his nightly stroll. Ever since he returned from his first trip outside his comfort zone, he had been curious about all the other possibilities the world had to offer, both good and bad. Stepping forward, the Kirlia got ready to take an extended walk when a familiar voice stopped him.

"Gallant?"

The psychic type turned around and met the gentle blue eyes of his friend, Sylvia.

"What are you doing?" She stared at him with her head tilted to one side and her eyes shone with an ethereal glow. How was it that she always knew where to find him?

"I can't sleep so I'm taking a walk."

Sylvia looked passed her friend down the path and back to him. "Going a little off track there, aren't you?"

"Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Gallant faced the entrance again.

"I sleep all the time."

"Doubtful." The Kirlia started walking down the path.

"Wait, where are you going?" Sylvia started following him.

"Brilliant Meadow."

"Really!?" Sylvia wore an incredulous expression. She was about to remind him that he was prohibited from leaving the realm without some sort of supervision but her curiosity got the better of her. "Can I... Can I come with?"

Gallant turned back around faced the Sylveon directly. "Do you want to?"

"Yes!" Sylvia enthusiastically answered but then calmed herself down a little. "I mean... If you don't mind?"

Gallant smiled at his friend and offered her his hand to take. "Come on."

The Intertwining Pokémon happily skipped up to the Kirlia and placed her paw in his hand. Both their bodies were covered in a bright light and before she knew it, she wound up in a different location entirely. Gallant had teleported them to the open path he and his fellow students had been led on during their trip to the Pokémon Settlement. Grass that grew taller than them went on as farther than their eyes could see and the expanding field was complemented by the beautiful healthy trees adorned with soft leaves that varied in shape and color.

"Wow..." The Sylveon commented as her eyes drank in the scenery around her. "Look at this place... I wish Angel was here to see this."

"I wonder how she's doing. Last we saw her, she looked really upset. I'd say even violated." Gallant replied, remembering Angel's sombre state.

"She's with her mom, Miss Sana. Your revealing of Darkrai messing with her head must have been heavy on her but I'm sure she'll be fine by tomorrow."

" It was a lot to take in, I'll admit but now that I think about it, I don't think there's anything for us to worry about."

"What do you mean?" Sylvia questioned, sitting down on the ground.

"Darkrai isn't anywhere near the Fairy Realm. Not anymore, anyway. I remember it now... The black figure I saw the night we arrived in the Pokémon Settlement. It was Darkrai." Gallant looked up at the starry night sky.

"You saw Darkrai? Are you sure?"

"Positive. There's no doubt about it. I could feel it in my horns. The burden of carrying an eternal darkness wherever you went... It's enough to drive anyone to depression. It came from the same direction as us last night. I suppose Angel was just unlucky that she was asleep at the time. According to that book, Darkrai keeps himself away from other pokémon because he means no malicious intent and with a power like that, I suppose none of us can blame him. Darkrai may have affected other pokémon but all that's over now. At least I hope it is."

Sylvia didn't say anything this time, instead joining her friend in appreciating the brilliance of the heavens above them. Minutes continued to pass as they stared at the stars that elegantly twinkled in the darkened sky with the shining moon as their sole audience. Being night, it was unlikely that they would fall prey to wild pokémon so they had little to worry about. After a few more minutes passed, Sylvia finally decided to break the silence.

"So what exactly compelled you to come all the way out here anyway?"

"Well..." Gallant placed a thoughtful hand under his chin. "I guess you can say I got curious. When we first travelled through the Brilliant Meadow, none of us had the time to fully appreciate it and this is the only way I can get to do so. Or you could say that I jumped at the opportunity to misbehave, pick one." Gallant smirked like a cheeky brat.

Sylvia shook her head at her friend's foolishness. Gallant watched as the Sylveon yawned, revealing her sharp but cute fangs that were otherwise hidden.

"Getting tired?"

Sylvia looked at the Kirlia and nodded.

"So am I. Come on, let's head back home." Gallant offered her his hand again and she placed her paw on top of it.

"Hey, Gallant... Next time you feel like misbehaving, let's invite Angel. It's always fun when it's all three of us." Sylvia smiled.

"It's a promise." Gallant smiled back as he teleported his friend and himself back to the Fairy Realm.

* * *

 

Two near identical looking pokémon floated side by side as they looked at the third pokémon in front of them with deep concern. They were currently in a large rotunda that acted as a throne room. The circular room was framed with ornate pillars that seemed to have been carved with impeccable craftsmanship. The floor was decorated with marble tiles so clear that one could see the ceiling's reflection in them. Crystals in the shape of lotus flowers were hanging in the air supported by strong psychic power and they magnified the light cast by candles in them, giving the room a brilliant purple crystalline glow. Beyond the two pokémon, settled on top of a high perch was the leader of the Psychic Realm, Cresselia, though she didn't look as presentable as she could have hoped. Her body was a pale sickly pink and her wings were but a reminder of their former glory, having become faded from overuse of her powers.

"Latios. Latias." She spoke in a soft and angelic voice. Cresselia looked at her two most trusted pokémon. They had grown tired of seeing her selflessly sacrifice her power day by day for the sake of others and were ready to take matters into their own hands. Ever since Darkrai had come out of hiding, she had worked herself into a frenzy, creating Lunar Wings to protect as many pokémon as she could but even she needed to take time to rest. Legendary or not, she was still a pokémon like everyone else. All she could do now was put her faith in the most powerful fighters her realm had to offer. With the last few ounces of her power, Cresselia bestowed two new Lunar Wings that wrapped magically around the necks of the sibling dragons. "Stay safe." She offered them a smile of encouragement and fell into a deep slumber, no longer able to stay awake even if she tried.

"Lady Cresselia..." Latias' voice was filled with worry.

"You can only do so much, Lady Cresselia. Please, leave it to us. Rest assured, we will get to the bottom of things." Latios confidently stated. He nodded to his sister and the two left the throne room, determined to bring down the source of the legendary psychic type's plight.

* * *

 

END CHAPTER.

 Please R&R. Your thoughts matter.


	7. Different Perspectives

The young dragon looked up at the colossal mountain range ahead of it as it crawled out of the small trench it had dug for itself. This is the way it was every day. Wake up, morning hunt, sleep the day away, nightly hunt. A repetitive but effective lifestyle if there ever was one. The dragon grunted as it looked down at the no-longer recognizable body in the trench, now just a pile of leftover flesh and bones. Its hunt. Thoroughly hunted as always. The dragon would not have it any other way because the world it was born into gave it no other option. Ever since its time of hatching, it had always been kill or be killed out here. Such is the world for wild pokémon. You didn't want to end up at the bottom of the food chain. Not when the entire region was dominated by fire types, dragons types and cruel climate. You're a weakling, the world toughens you up. If you have not toughened up enough by the time the next predator shows itself, you're done. The dragon took to indulging in itself by thinking of how strong it must have been to survive for this long. Even among other wild pokémon, it had always thought itself to be different by a significant margin as far as wild pokémon go. That its value as an individual was far heavier in weight than others of its kind. Whether it was hunting, being hunted or just straight up got in a fight, the young dragon always managed to find itself on top. It did not dare engage or even get close to the more mature or fully evolved, though, as that would be considered suicide. When too big a threat made itself known, it would try to outrun it if it could or find the closest hole to crawl into and hope that whatever had targeted it wasn't very good at digging and/or had settled for an easier target. By that logic, luck might have also been a critical factor in its survival.

The dragon's yellow eyes leered through the frontal opening of its shell as a few crunching noises came from within and after a moment, it suddenly spat out a half-chewed bone onto the ground. It couldn't swallow bones but it was oddly satisfying to chew on them for a bit. The dragon's musings were cut short as it felt light but steady tapping on the top of its shell. Rain... The dragon growled in annoyance. The sky was pissing on it again. How it hated the rain. The sound and odd sensation the raindrops made when they would continuously strike against its shell drove it insane. On top of that was also the probability of it becoming sick. It remembered the first time that happened and would very much rather not have a repeat experience.

From the mostly silent base where it stood, the Shelgon looked up at the great foothills ahead of it that only got bigger with the rough terrain's elevation. Each foothill contained multiple elevations of caves that were both entrances and exits to the massive networks of caverns and underground paths that lay within them. At the top and in the center of the mountains was a colossal volcano, positioned in such a fashion as if it were a king and the mountains its subjects. So gigantic that the top of it was obscured by the clouds that had settled in for the night. On a clear day, the clouds that surrounded it would instead be smoke. For a moment, it wondered what the top of it was like and how great a view it would be if it made its perch at the summit of that volcano.

The Shelgon's thoughts were once again disrupted, this time by a ferocious roar. Looking up, to the best of its ability anyway, the Endurance Pokémon watched as the silhouette of an adult dragon zoomed through the darkened, rainy sky and towards one of the mountains it had probably claimed as its home. The Shelgon could not help but give a jealous snarl. It had dreamed of flight for the longest time, itself. It had always longed to sprout wings and take to the sky, feeling the breeze against its face and viewing the world from its own perfect vantage. It has not and will not let go of that dream. It will take flight one day, of that it was certain. But that day is not today, so it resigned itself to walking towards the mountain range at a much slower pace.

Actually, that won't do, either.

Closing its eyes, the adolescent dragon tightened its muscles and focused its energy, surrounding itself in a fierce aura in a performance of Dragon Dance. Finished, the dragon took off into the mountain range at a more satisfactory speed.

* * *

 

A Gible cried out when its back slammed against the cave wall with enough force to knock it out. Ahead of it, a Gabite stood, looking no worse for wear. The Gabite snorted and proceeded down the long and narrow cave, undeterred.

"Weaklings." The Cave Pokémon commented as it took a brief glance back at the defeated Gible that had a few more of its kind, about half a dozen of them, sprawled around it in the same way. He had been the target of an organized hunt, it seemed but the problem in their plan was that he was more powerful than all of them combined and then some. He hailed from the Dragon Realm, a large nesting ground for all of dragonkind and home of the most powerful dragons in the world. Even a not fully evolved pokémon like himself could take on anything that the Volcanic Summit could throw at him. The only real challenge he got in his life was from his peers back home that he would occasionally get into scuffles with. The adult dragons, much like the wild dragons, would not really care much about this behavior and would only step in when it looked like one of them was about to be fatally injured. Apart from that, the Dragon Realm was pretty much an organized and cultured version of the wild dragons' habitat that didn't bother with the rest of the world for the most part. He had heard of some kind of far away settlement where all kinds of pokémon gather from the adult dragons but he never gave it much thought or care.

The Gabite walked along the narrow cave with an arm extended to his left, scraping his claw along the cave wall peculiarly. The dragon stopped at a part of the wall that made a different sound than the rest of it and turned to inspect that specific spot directly. He gave the wall a few experimental jabs and watched in satisfaction when his claw easily pierced through. From there, the Gabite started to dig deliberately at the wall, plowing through the rock at a steady pace until its claws struck something different. Taking surprising care, the Gabite reached in with both its claws and pulled out a sapphire from within the hole he made. He looked it over, mesmerized by its beauty and shiny and sparkly and so pretty and...

The Cave Pokémon shook his head. He really needed to drop that habit. Not taking any more chances at looking at the precious stone, the Gabite placed it in the side pack it had brought along with itself that was fastened tightly around its torso. The sapphire made a slight clink as it landed against the other stones the Gabite had collected.

Nodding to himself, the dragon pressed forward. This gem hunting behavior had taken root from the time he had evolved a good while ago. Really, most if not all Gabite exhibited this kind of way of living. There was just something about jewels that they found phenomenally appealing. But what set him apart from wild Gabite was his tendency to bring the jewels he collects back to the Dragon Realm and leave them at the top of the Sky Pillar, erected by the realm's denizens themselves and leave them there as a tribute to their lord and master, Rayquaza. The Gabite had never actually met or even seen the legendary dragon type. Only heard many stories from the adult dragons about how he is their master and protector as well as the alpha dragon to their kingdom. The very reason they were able to live on their land. His favorite story was about how Rayquaza took an entire mass of land as his territory, eventually dubbing it the Dragon Realm and raising the first ever dragon pokémon of the realm himself. The prestigious dragons then went on and on to create newer generations upon generations of dragons until it became the powerful realm he knew today. The stories inspired the young dragon. Inspired him to train himself over the limit and grow powerful so that he could continue to protect the home Rayquaza had given him and his fellow dragons. The Sky Pillar was built to honor Rayquaza and from time to time, the Cave Pokémon would take the treasure he finds to the top and pile them onto Rayquaza's ever expanding treasure hoard in hopes that he too would one day get to see the mighty legendary face to face... Although, it didn't hurt to keep a few gems for himself.

The Gabite came to the end of the narrow corridor and into a large room. The room had different entrances and exits around it that branched off to other sections of the Volcanic Summit. He compared it to a hub of sorts. It was good he didn't tread to far, as that would get him hopelessly lost. Never mind that this was far from his first time here, the place was just too damn big. On the outside it was just your large mountains and one volcano but on the inside, it was a labyrinth. Getting back on track, the Gabite walked further into the room with small steps, scratching his feet on parts of the ground every now and then. A little while of this and he eventually came across a part of the ground he was satisfied with, prompting him to start digging there. He dug a hole half his body in height until his claw clinked against something. Taking care the dragon type scratched around the object he found until he was able to pull it out safely. Using both his claws, he picked up an emerald, the precious green jewel sparkling beautifully against his skin in a manner that was so pretty and so marvellous like no other and not to mention shiny and radiant and- damn it! The Gabite dropped the emerald into his bag and climbed out of the hole. He craned his neck a little, sighing when he heard the satisfying cracks. Just as he was about to press forward, something out the corner of his vision caught his attention.

In ran a Shelgon, moving faster than they were allowed. It sneezed once then made a noise of irritation. At least it was out of the rain, its shell had just started to dry and the heat of the inner mountain would hopefully keep it in good health. It hopped up and down in a brief exercise and then made to take one of the routes to its own personal den. It took a few steps then stopped when it noticed the one other dragon in the room. It turned to face the Gabite and growled at him while glaring with its yellow eyes in an attempt to look intimidating. The Cave Pokémon rolled his eyes. Was he being challenged? He didn't have time for this.

The Shelgon watched as the dragon it was trying to engage turned and walked away, seemingly disinterested. What was that about? Isn't fighting what dragons do? Was he ignoring it or, even worse, deeming it a poor opponent? The Endurance Pokémon growled fiercely at the notion and focused more of its energy through its body.

Noticing the sudden spike of energy, the Gabite turned around and faced the Shelgon who, he observed, was using Dragon Dance. Looks like he was going to be forced into a fight regardless of his decision. Oh well... Better make it quick, he thought.

The Shelgon smirked within its shell when it finally got its opponent's attention. It would make sure to teach him not to underestimate its power. Giving a feral growl, the Shelgon charged forward at speeds it really had no business reaching, intending deliver the Gabite a swift defeat.

The Gabite just stood, waiting for his opponent to reach him. It got closer and closer by the second until it was right in front of him, at which point the Gabite raised his foot and thrust it against the front of the Shelgon's shell, stopping it in its tracks. The Cave Pokémon then placed the same foot between the Shelgon's front legs, just under its shell and casually kicked upwards, flicking it onto its back causing the Endurance Pokémon's stubby legs to flail wildly as it attempted to get back on its feet.

The Gabite walked around to its front and brought himself down to the Shelgon's eye level, appearing upside-down in its vision. "Normally I would kill and maybe even eat you but I'm a busy pokémon with things to do. Consider yourself lucky." The Gabite stood and took a small swipe with his claw against the Shelgon's shell, causing it to spin on its back like a top. Amused, the Gabite sauntered off and exited the room to seek out more treasure.

Left alone, the Shelgon could do nothing as it continued to spin on the cave floor until, thankfully, it slowed to a stop and just lay there upside-down. Now with proper control over its body, it begun to shift its weight side to side, building enough energy each time until it successfully rolled back onto its feet. This wasn't the first time something like this happened to it, annoyingly enough and had long since learned how to deal with the problem whenever it happened. Looking around, the pokémon it attempted and failed to engage was nowhere to be found. It growled like a poor sport. This wasn't over. It took a few sniffs in the air, catching the faintest trace of the Gabite's scent and tracing it to one of the openings in the large room where it was sure the Cave Pokémon disappeared to. Still under the effects of Dragon Dance, the Shelgon charged down that route to track down its unwilling opponent.

* * *

 

Walking out of the narrow cave route he had travelled through, the Gabite found himself in yet another room. This one was not as big as the last and it did not have any branching paths as the previous room did, leading him to believe he had stumbled into another dragon's den. This was not the case, however, as the room showed no signs of life and proved to be nothing more than a dead end. It didn't matter to him any. He was here for treasure hunting not sightseeing. Walking further into the room, the Gabite took to inspecting the cave walls with his masterful claws. He came across one part of the wall that felt different than the others but after a few scratches, he shook his head and deemed it fruitless before moving on along the wall. After a short walk, he came across another part of the wall that caught his attention and dug his claws into it, clawing through for a short while and eventually pulling out a small purple gem. He recognized it as a Dragon Gem. The Gabite took a few steps back from the wall and inspected it closely. It did not glimmer like he wanted and wasn't even that valuable to begin with. It was a good find, don't get him wrong but it wasn't what he was after. Oh well, there was no need for it to go to waste for that reason alone and he decided to bring it with him.

Just as the Cave Pokémon was about to put it away for future use, a stream of superheated purple energy spontaneously flew into the room, aimed right at him. The young dragon blinked as the violent energy filtered around the green barrier he had projected around himself on reflex. The Dragon Gem he held between his claws glowed a little from exposure to the dragon attack but did nothing else. His eyes followed to where the attack had come from and to his mild surprise, saw the Shelgon from earlier blocking the entrance to the room he was in. And by 'blocking' he meant 'five of him could easily just walk around it.'

"You again." He spoke with an unfazed tone.

The Endurance Pokémon just hissed at him and fired off another Dragon Pulse. The Gabite leaped a little to the side and avoided it completely before charging towards the pokémon that just wouldn't leave him alone. Claws at the ready, he took a wide swing at the Shelgon which stood on its hind legs and met his Dragon Claw with one of its own. The force of its attack caused his eyes to widen ever so slightly and recoil from the impact while the Shelgon pressed on with its assault by expelling another Dragon Pulse from its hidden maw. Finding his balance, the Gabite leaned his body back and narrowly avoided the stream of energy as it sailed in front of him, even taking his time to gaze at the direction it went and watching it explode against the cave wall. The Gabite regained his concentration when he looked back and saw the Shelgon running at him at high speed with the intention of causing him serious physical harm. It leaped up and bared down with its front legs in a heavy Dragon Claw that was unfortunately met with another barrier. The Endurance Pokémon did not let up, however, as it continued to slash away at the Gabite, its small but dangerous claws scraping harshly against its opponent's shield and sending sparks flying left and right. When the Gabite's Protect finally expired, the Shelgon attempted to deal the killing blow but the Cave Pokémon simply poked its exposed belly and caused it to roll onto its back again.

Seeing this, the Gabite took a few steps back got into a less aggressive posture. "Had enough yet?"

The Shelgon responded by firing yet another Dragon Pulse, an action that, without being anchored to the ground, caused it to rocket boost towards the Gabite like a cannon. Eyes widening, the ground type held his arms up to take the brunt of the attack which knocked him off his feet and sent him scraping along the ground on his side. Recovering quickly and getting back up, the Gabite narrowed his eyes dangerously at the Shelgon that got back on its feet as well. The Gabite growled, now fully hostile and ready to knock some heads. He stomped on the ground with a hefty roar and after a moment, the cave they occupied was suddenly filled with a heavy Sandstorm. Only now did the Shelgon start to feel threatened as the tiny rock and dirt particles constantly dug into its exposed legs and some even getting into its shell, making it feel incredibly uncomfortable as well as slightly fatigued. Its poor predicament was only made worse by the fact that it couldn't see its opponent anymore. One second the Gabite was in front of it but the moment the sandstorm was kicked up, it was like the Cave Pokémon suddenly vanished. A few seconds passed, increasing the Shelgon's sense of paranoia until the Gabite made his presence known via a well placed Dragon Claw to its side, cutting cleanly through its shell and inflicting injury on the body inside it. The Shelgon cried out and was sent flying straight at the furthest wall, slamming painfully into it and instantly losing consciousness. The Gabite was ready to end it when he saw that his opponent was already down for the count from just one of his attacks. He felt disappointed on top of being irritated to have his time wasted like this. The Gabite sighed and looked down at the defeated dragon. It was interesting while it lasted, he supposed. As interesting as fighting a wild pokémon would be anyway but now that the battle was out of the way, it was back to business.

The blue dragon looked around the room and spotted a small opening close to the ceiling. The Shelgon now forgotten, the Gabite ran to the other end of the room and started to scale the cave wall, eventually reaching the top and stepping out into the rain and onto an outer ledge that oversaw most of the Volcanic Summit.

It was quite a view to say the least. The Gabite absent-mindedly licked the blood from his claw as he took it all in. Beyond the base of the mountains lay an expansive land that went on for who knows how long. He spotted a few crags in the distance that, to him, did nothing but serve to make the landmass more uneven than it already is. Besides the crags, he could make out some deep depressions in the land that he figured were home to some wild pokémon. A good distance directly ahead of him was a wide, unoccupied sink in the earth which, when he squinted his eyes enough, turned out to be some kind of watering hole. To his right, far in the distance and beyond the horizon, was a collection of giant rocky spires that had a storm looming over them which went on for miles deep into the Tempest Peaks and to his far left past his vision was a canyon that separated the Seismic Highland from the Volcanic Summit. It was all quite a feast for the eyes and he would have stayed to admire it a little longer if he did not have pressing matters to attend to.

Looking down, his eyes followed the ledge upwards that ended in an opening which led into another room higher than the one that was directly behind him. He walked steadily up the ledge and took a peek to the side, feeling a little apprehensive about walking on a platform with no support or makeshift railing seeing as one slip could easily send him falling down the mountain to his doom. The thought made him move a little faster until he stood safely at the opening of the higher room. The Gabite quickly looked around and found that like a few of the others, the cave was devoid of visible life. It was always better this way, as there wouldn't be suicidal pokémon to get in his way of treasure hunting. Dropping down from the ledge, the Cave Pokémon landed with a dull thud and got to work.

* * *

 

Defeat. It wasn't a word it liked to associate itself with yet there it lay with its eyes closed and on the verge of losing consciousness again. Its wound ached with a dull throb in time with its heartbeat but it didn't bother to get up, instead thinking back to the pokémon it so carelessly challenged. It didn't feel at fault, though, as this wasn't the first time it had challenged a Gabite and only sought to give itself a quick exercise before returning to its den but what it instead got was one hell of a workout that left it briefly out cold. There was something unique about this one Gabite that set itself apart from the ones it easily defeated in the past. It left the Endurance Pokémon intrigued by it, something it seldom felt. Where did it come from? What was the source of its power that it couldn't hope to match even after powering itself up multiple times with Dragon Dance? All these unanswered questions left its mind boggled and for a moment, it wondered if it would be able to reach or even surpass that level of power.

Before it could continue with its thoughts, its attention was captured by what it could make out as a slight sizzling noise. Opening its eyes, it came face to stupid face with a Magcargo that held its gaze with a blank expression. Now that it was aware of the fire type's presence, the Shelgon started to feel uncomfortably hot from exposure to the Magcargo's extremely high body temperature. Something had to be done.

It got up with a slight wince and the Shelgon stared down the Magcargo with an offensive glare in an attempt to get it to leave. Sensing the dragon type's sudden hostile presence, flames flared out of parts of the fire type's shell and it gave an even glare as it prepared an attack but before it could do so, it was suddenly shot with a great volume of water that came straight from the Shelgon's mouth, blasting it across the room and knocking it out in an instant. For a moment, it wondered if this is what the Gabite must have felt like when it first challenged him; stronger and a little more than annoyed. The Shelgon stared at the motionless Magcargo in front of it as its body sizzled violently from being soaked in a large body of water. Speaking of which... The Shelgon performed a weaker version of its Hydro Pump move with most of the water collecting within its shell, rinsing out its body of the dirt that had settled inside and cleaning its wound. After a few shakes of its body, the Shelgon leaned forward and expelled the murky water onto the ground. It repeated this a few more times until it felt clean enough to be satisfied. There was still the issue of the hole made in the side of its shell but that would repair itself in due time. Looking at the unconscious fire type one last time, the Shelgon gave it an irritated snarl and left for the exit.

* * *

 

Things were not going as well as the Gabite would have hoped. Multiple holes in the wall and floor told of its fruitless efforts. The room he was in held nothing of value, he came to realize. Finishing digging through a part of the wall, the Cave Pokémon sighed in disappointment when he removed an Oval Stone. It looked a lot like an egg and the Gabite had no idea why. The only thing he was sure of is that it was garbage to him and with that thought, he tossed it to the floor along with the other useless items he found. He gave the pile a once-over. They consisted of Fire Stones, Hard Stones, a few Gems and some Moon Stones, all junk in his eyes. Looking around, he found that there was nowhere else he could dig in the room and left for the ledge. Back outside, the Gabite looked around but found no alternate paths. That is until he looked up and saw a hanging ledge three meters above and beyond his reach.

He took a quick look at his sharp claws. While he could easily scale the wall, doing such a thing could potentially end with him falling if he wasn't careful. Even so, the notion did nothing to dissuade him from his goal and after digging his claws into the wall, he started to slowly pull himself up. The dragon type used extra care when scaling the wall, making sure not to apply to much pressure that his claws would end up accidentally cutting through the rocky face and cause him to slip and plummet. The idea actually gave him a slight rush and he got honestly surprised when he drew enjoyment from putting himself in mortal danger. Still, his small climb went off without a hitch and he soon found himself in the opening overlooking the biggest room he'd seen yet. Not wasting any time, he leaped down to the ground with a small grin and immediately started to feel about the wall. He clawed through for a little while but then stopped when he felt there was nothing to be found in this particular section. He moved about different parts of the room, jabbing at the ground or cave wall to get a feel of certain areas of interest.

Unbeknown to the young dragon, danger was looming overhead. A pokémon about twice the size of the Gabite stared down at him with its pale yellow eyes as it clung to the ceiling. Its dark blue body allowed it to go unnoticed in the dark cave and drool seeped out of its mouth as it prepared to literally get the drop on its target. Crawling slowly along the ceiling, it positioned itself exactly above the Cave Pokémon and then proceeded to go for the kill.

For his part, the Gabite was too engrossed with his spelunking to notice the predator plotting his demise. That is until his Dragon Gem glowed faintly in his bag that told him a dragon move was being used very close to him. This, along with the dirt and rocks that fell on and around him, quickly alerted him to the room's other occupant. Reacting with movement that only years of training could bring, the Gabite jumped up, drop kicked the wall in front of him and sent himself flying backwards in a quick flip. Literally a second later, a Druddigon came crashing down on the spot he was standing on prior to his maneuver with a heavy crash. Dust kicked up around it as his fellow Cave Pokémon pierced him with its gaze from a crouching position. With a loud roar, the Druddigon charged at the Gabite.

The Gabite glared at the Druddigon and the claws on his feet dug into the ground in anticipation. His foe got the drop on him, he'll give it that but now that he was fully aware of its presence, he was ready to lay the smack-down on it. He charged forward, meeting it halfway and expertly ducked under a swipe aimed at his head before driving a knee into its gut that sent it slamming into the wall behind it. The Druddigon winced and ducked just as the Gabite's claw took a swing at it and left a large gash in the wall approximately where its neck had just been. The Druddigon then tackled the Gabite to the ground but the ground type quickly reversed it midway and it was the Druddigon that found itself on its back. The Gabite was ready to sink his claws in his opponent's skull but bailed on that plan to lean backwards in order to avoid the Flamethrower that was blasted from the Druddigon's jagged mouth. Before he could recover, the Druddigon grabbed his neck with one of its long arms and got up while holding the Gabite away from it. With its arm extended, the Druddigon could hold its prey at a safe distance while being able to deal the killing blow. It was thrown for a loop, however, when the Gabite simply went for the easier way out and used his claw to swiftly sever the arm that held him in its grip. The Druddigon's eyes widened then slammed shut when the pain registered and blood pumped out of the injury in steady bursts. Gripping the remainder of its severed arm in a poor attempt to stop the bleeding, the Druddigon glared at the Gabite who held the other half of its arm between his claws and waved it side to side like he was greeting it. Roaring viciously, the fuming dragon leaped at the smaller dragon with its mouth opened and its deadly teeth on full display to which the Gabite responded by jamming the Druddigon's own arm between it s jaws to keep it from biting down on him.

The Druddigon's eyes widened a second time at this and developed mixed feelings about biting down on its own surprisingly delectable arm. The young dragon took advantage of its stumped reaction by swinging a claw upwards into its lower jaw and drawing even more blood that gushed out of its body. The Druddigon gave a gurgled roar of agony as its 'prey' used the same motion of his attack to swing it up, perform a couple of revolutions in the air with it and used the momentum of his throw to slam its fairly heavy body into the ground with enough force to shake the cave floor which developed heavy cracks that went unnoticed by the dueling pokémon. Feeling particularly pissed off, an emotion brought on by his previous unlucky streak of treasure hunting, the Gabite jumped as high as he could and with a roar of his own, came dropping like a rock tied to another rock, foot extended and slamming it into the fallen Druddigon. The larger dragon opened its mouth to cry out but all that came out was a silent scream and the force from the Gabite's brutal assault, coupled with their combined weight, added just enough pressure to the damaged cave floor for it to collapse under them and send them falling to the lower level...

* * *

 

Were it not for the sudden turn of events the Shelgon experienced, it would have written the day off as uneventfully average and called it a night. As the Shelgon walked down the long and slightly winding corridor, its mind was still plagued by the fascinating Gabite it lost to. There was something about it that the Endurance Pokémon couldn't quite place. It fought plenty Gabite in the past and had not lost to a single one until just recently. Indeed, there was something definitely up with the one it fought tonight. It moved like no other pokémon it came across. Sure there probably existed more powerful dragons but power and skill were not the same thing. The Gabite possessed skill and in vast amounts. The way it moved and its thought process were on another level. Moreover, it spoke in a way that it couldn't understand. A way that differed greatly from wild pokémon. It couldn't understand anything that wasn't in its evolutionary line anyway but it could tell the Gabite's way of communicating was beyond foreign to it.

Like most dragons, the Shelgon was born alone. This never really bothered it as having a lack of guardians in a demanding world forced it to work twice as hard to adapt and keep it from falling too low on the food chain. Could the same be said about the Gabite? Was it also a loner that reached its level by giving a big 'screw you' to the ecosystem? Or did the source of its power come from something else entirely? If so, then what?

Coming up to the end of the corridor, the Shelgon found itself walking into a familiar large room that it passed through nearly every day since it was between the route that led to the open area and the route that led to its den. The room had a pretty high up ceiling as well, held up by tall stone structures that acted as support beams and a few stalactites hung down at some points. The Shelgon blinked in alertness as it heard a crash from above. Leaning back, it balanced itself on its hind legs and tail, creating a makeshift tripod for itself and inspecting where it heard the noise. Another crash, this one louder, made dirt and a few stalactites shake loose and fall to the floor. The Shelgon squinted its eyes like it was expecting something else to happen. Its patience was soon rewarded and with a surprised expression, witnessed the centre of the ceiling collapse dramatically as two figures dropped in and landed rather loudly a few meters in front of it. Dropping back on all fours, the Endurance Pokémon ran forward to inspect the crash and its heart skipped a beat at what it saw.

The Gabite smirked triumphantly at the dead dragon underneath his foot, patting himself on the back for a job well done. Now that the battle was over, the Gabite stepped off of his foe's carcass so he could get a good read on where he ended up. Turned out he knew the place. Yeah, it was all coming together. This is the room he traversed to go deeper into the mountain and the route that led back outside the rear of the mountain to the Dragon Realm was not far from here. Well, how about that? Seeing as he got his fill of battles and the treasure hunting stopped looking promising a while ago, the Gabite figured he'd just head home and- what?

"You're kidding me, you again?" The Gabite actually paused mid step and found himself staring at the Shelgon for the third time that night. He wanted to believe it was a different Shelgon but the hole he had stabbed in the side of its shell was unmistakable.

For a moment, the just stared at each other, dumbfounded. Neither knew what to do, the Gabite didn't seem to be under any sort of attack and the Shelgon preferred not to provoke him. Instead the Shelgon took this moment to inspect the dual type. It gave him a look up and down then moved around him to view him from other angles. Bewildered, the Gabite did nothing but watched as it walked circles around him. Talk about a change in attitude. The Shelgon, dissatisfied that its query wasn't doing anything, moved forward and gave him a non-lethal tackle.

"H-hey!" The Cave Pokémon protested and raised his claws. Seeing this, the Shelgon got a good look at his claws and other than being blood-stained, they looked just like any other Gabite's. It took a whiff of him and found his scent to be quite astonishing. It could pick up the different scents off him that were distinctive to other dragons. The scent was strong. Did he live with other dragons? Including some that weren't a part of his species? Like a Zweilous and Axew living together? The thought was positively absurd but its curiosity was raised enough that it wanted to see his home for itself as well as the other dragons that inhabited it. It wanted to meet them and see if it could learn the strength that the Gabite demonstrated. On a less important note, it must be pretty good to be able to rely on an ally when times were tough. It would certainly make survivability a lot easier. But would he consider the possibility of bringing the Shelgon along? Especially after it attacked him? Seeing as he already lived with other dragons, the Endurance Pokémon hoped he would forgive it and bring it along with him.

The Gabite watched as the Shelgon hopped up and down while grunting some gibberish. Was it trying to tell him something? He couldn't understand if that was the case. The thing about prestigious pokémon like himself was that they spoke in a certain universal dialect that allowed any pokémon to be able to converse with the next even if they were from different parts of the world. Maybe if he was also a Shelgon, he might have been able to understand its species' way of communicating but as things stood, he couldn't make heads or tails with what it was saying. The Shelgon noticed this and bumped into him a second time and then ran in place to try and convey the message.

Just as the Gabite was about to tell the Shelgon to knock it off, hissing noises told him that they were not the only two pokémon in the room anymore. The Shelgon also noticed this and stopped with its shenanigans to look around. Druddigon, lots of them began to fill into the room from various points of entry. Some from holes in the wall, some from crawls spaces that were etched into the edges of the cave floor and others peering into the room from the hole in the ceiling that the Gabite created. The commotion must have attracted them and they all glared at the two youthful dragons, intending to make them their dinner. The Shelgon looked back to the Gabite and made some more indiscernible noised at him. The Gabite, while alert, still didn't look like he understood so instead of trying to tell him, the Shelgon figured it should show him instead and performed Dragon Dance.

This caught the Gabite by surprise, not really expecting it to want to stay and fight. Alongside him, no less. Was it trying to prove something? It's a tenacious little thing he'll give it that. He thought of making a break for it, himself. Not that he couldn't take them, it's just that he was starting to get tired of the whole routine. He still considered just up and leaving by digging his way out but when he saw the convicted look in the Shelgon's eyes he couldn't just leave it to its horrible demise, especially after it displayed what he guessed was a friendly disposition. Looks like the circumstances between them had changed. He sighed as he settled for staying by its side. Not like the Druddigon would just watch him leave anyway. Damn moral fiber...

The Shelgon continued to power itself up with the vigorous dragon aura as the Druddigon closed in on them from all angles. It thought to give a battle cry but was stopped when the Gabite's claw found its way within its shell and crammed a Sitrus Berry into its mouth. It looked at the Cave Pokémon but his eyes were focused more on the danger around them.

"You need it more than I do." He simply said, to which the Shelgon obediently chewed and swallowed. "I hope you're really as strong as you let on because I can only help you as much as you can help me." The Gabite crossed his arms and channeled a different kind of energy that took on the form of ethereal blue swords that orbited around him before bursting and enveloping him in a fierce crimson aura that surged through his body and powered him up something deadly. The Shelgon took a moment to gawk at its enemy turned ally as it could feel his power skyrocketing to frightening levels, making it glad it avoided challenging him again and appreciating the fact that they would be fighting on the same side. The two pokémon turned their backs towards each other and faced down their mutual enemies. "Get ready... Here they come!" The Gabite gave a roar and the battle was on.

Two Druddigon from opposite ends of the oppressed dragons kicked things off by charging straight at their targets. The young dragons at the centre of the room crouch down to prepare a counter attack. The first to move was the Gabite, jumping forward and using his superior speed to duck underneath a Druddigon's Dragon Claw and retaliate by digging both his claws into his opponent's chest, bypassing its ribs and striking its vitals. The thing passed out right there and the Gabite swung its dead weight around into another Druddigon that thought to take advantage of his inability to attack from all angles. He couldn't, no one could but it was difficult to get the drop on him regardless. He felt something latch onto his dorsal fin and yank him up off the ground. The Druddigon that thought it had him under the ropes but realized too late why this was a terrible idea as its arm was sent hurdling through the air, detached from its body. Before the Druddigon could voice its complaint, another of its kind was slammed into it, this one having a scorched body and unseeing eyes. The Gabite looked behind himself to find that the Shelgon was handling itself better than he thought.

He watched the Endurance Pokémon retreat its limbs into its shell just as a Druddigon's jaws closed around the frontal opening then his eyes slightly went wide when the Shelgon expelled a Dragon Pulse that incinerated the Druddigon's head and caused its body to stumble before falling to the floor like a sack of bricks. It turned around to meet his gaze but then both their eyes went wide when they saw the danger beyond each other. One ran towards the other, the Gabite jumping over the Shelgon and beheading a Druddigon that attempted a sneak attack on it while the Endurance Pokémon used its Dragon Pulse to fire at an enemy Cave Pokémon that tried to perform a deadly lunge at the Gabite's exposed back. Both their targets hit the ground but were replaced by more of them as soon as that happened. The Shelgon growled defiantly at its enemies, not one to back down. Ever. If their intention was to make it their meal, the Shelgon sure as hell wasn't going to make it easy for them. Just as one of the Druddigon tried to make a lunge for it, the Shelgon sent a deadly pulse of dragon energy at it before it could act on its decision, sending it barreling down the cave and slamming head first into the wall.

Unfortunately for the Shelgon, it could only attack one at a time and the other Druddigon capitalized on the Shelgon's need for a brief recharge time by swinging a heavy arm at it. Retreating into its shell was all the Shelgon could do as the Druddigon's claws slammed against its side. The Shelgon watched from within its shell as the room frantically rotated around it. At least that's how it appeared to the Endurance Pokémon as its round body tumbled a good distance before being stopped by yet another foe. This one wasn't too bright. Scratch that. It was dumber than the rest and proved its stupidity by jamming its claws through the frontal opening of the Shelgon's shell. Unsurprisingly, the Druddigon roared in pain and used its other arm to push against the Endurance Pokémon's shell to try and get it off to no avail. When that didn't work, it flailed its trapped arm around so as to force the Shelgon to let go, an idea that actually worked and the Shelgon finally popped loose. The Druddigon sighed in relief, only to start roaring once again after finding that its arm was eaten off up to its wrist. The injured Druddigon glared with fury in its yellow eyes and watched the Shelgon spit out what remained of its hand, which wasn't much. It prepared to launch an assault but the Shelgon beat it to the punch, rolling onto its back and using Dragon Pulse to launch itself right at the Druddigon. The Shelgon nailed its opponent right in the face and it briefly saw stars before passing out. The Shelgon stood back up on its legs and gave a hoarse cough. It had used too many breath attacks and felt a mild burning sensation in its throat. Noticing no more enemies in front of it the Shelgon turned around to witness a scattered pile of unmoving bodies made by the Gabite who was wrapping up in dealing with the last one, giving it a drop kick and riding the Druddigon's unconscious body across the floor a few good meters before stepping off.

This left the Endurance Pokémon flabbergasted. Just what was the extent of his strength, it wondered? What made it stand out from literally every other dragon it met? It had to know. Seeing as things were wrapped up, the Shelgon trotted towards the only conscious Cave Pokémon in the room with small steps. The Gabite turned to face it and his eyes blinked in alertness as he pointed in its direction.

"Behind you!" The Gabite didn't know why it suddenly mattered to him that the Shelgon was in danger as he was pretty much a free pokémon at this point. Regardless of the fact, he watched with concern as four Druddigon crawled out of an open space from the far end of the room. Following his gaze, the Shelgon turned around and panicked as it watched the Druddigon close in on its position by the second. The Gabite thought quickly and then, remembering something important, reached into his bag.

"Here, use this!" The Shelgon turned back around and saw the Gabite drop an object on the floor before kicking it across the room towards it. As the object got closer and closer, it became clear as to what it was; a Dragon Gem. Something it recognized all too well and gladly jumped up to accept it into its opening while twisting back around to find that the Druddigon were now right in front of it. Right at the moment one of them swung its claws inches from its face, the Shelgon activated the Dragon Gem and fired one final Dragon Pulse. Although, thanks to the Gem in question, it wasn't a 'Dragon Pulse' as much as it was a 'Big Freaking Wave Motion Dragon Cannon.' The attack was so large that its vision was consumed by a field of bluish-purple and could only make out the silhouettes of the Druddigon that quickly disappeared as they were consumed and incinerated by the energy. Unable to control its own attack, the Shelgon found itself zooming backwards through the air, past the Gabite and landing on the other side of the cave with comical bounces. Being the lucky pokémon it was, the Shelgon landed on its back.

Chuckling, the Gabite walked up to the Shelgon and laid down on his stomach in a tired manner.

"Everything okay in there?"

Instead of giving a reply, the Shelgon rolled itself forward onto its stomach as well. They both just lay there and caught their breath.

"That was quite something, huh? Who would have guessed we would end up fighting next to each other?" The Shelgon didn't respond. "You know, now that I think about it, you Shelgon and the rest of your line shouldn't normally be able to use Dragon Dance or Dragon Pulse. Not by yourselves anyway... Got any other surprises for me?"

Instead of making any effort to communicate, the Shelgon just started making strange chewing sounds from inside its shell. After a little while of this, the Shelgon spat out the used Dragon Gem on the floor between them. The Gabite blinked in surprise. Not because of the Shelgon's action but because of the distinct sound the gem made when it hit the ground. The Gabite reached a claw forward and knocked the useless gem to the side then using it to dig into the cave floor. The Shelgon watched with rapt attention, curious to see what the Cave Pokémon was up to. The Gabite continued to dig until the dirt gave way to a ruby that illuminated a small area around them. Under the effects of the precious stone's influence on him, the Gabite reached down and picked it up, continuing to stare in exaggerated fixation at it. The Shelgon just watched as the Gabite remained in the same position for a full eight minutes... Was this stone really that important to him? Was it why he was here in the first place? Sure, it looked pretty but the Shelgon didn't think much of it.

The Gabite snapped out of it when the Shelgon growled to get his attention. He looked at it but it just stared back at him. "Um... Thanks. I probably wouldn't have found this without you." The Gabite packed the ruby into his bag and the Shelgon caught a quick glimpse of the other colored and sparkling stones it held which put its suspicions to rest.

The Gabite took one last look at the Shelgon, not knowing exactly what to say next. So he just waved at it and turned to leave. The Shelgon, interpreting his wave as a 'follow me' gesture, started to follow behind him with deliberate steps. The Cave Pokémon noticed this and faced it, a little surprised.

"You want to come with? Really?" The Gabite couldn't believe how fast his relationship with the wild Shelgon had developed. At first, he found it to be a nuisance but by the end of the night, they ended up fighting alongside each other in a battle for their survival. The Shelgon even surprised him with its fighting spirit and capable battle prowess, something he rarely felt even towards the dragons back home his own age. It was enough for the Gabite to actually consider the Endurance Pokémon's request. He placed a claw under his chin in deep thought. If he could adopt it into the Dragon Realm and condition it to be able to become as strong as, or even stronger, than the Dragon Realm's denizens, they would have a strong ally among their ranks. The Shelgon showed promise so it was a real possibility. Seeing as he impressed it in some way or other, he could also see it being loyal. Strength was something the Dragon Realm held in high regard and was the quickest way to earning their respect so perhaps he could put in a good word for the wild pokémon to the older dragons when they got back home... And if his plea was denied, hey they would at least have a quick meal so he really wasn't putting anything at stake from bringing it along. Idly, he thought of how this whole situation reminded him of how Rayquaza formed the Dragon Realm.

"You know what, screw it. Let's go." The Gabite walked up to a heightened ledge at the end of the room opposite corridor the Shelgon used to get in. He jumped up and hung onto the ledge, looking down and shaking his tail for the Shelgon to take, who bit onto it but not too hard as to cause injury, to which the Gabite was grateful for and pulled it up along with him. They both stood and looked down the narrow path that led to an opening which had moonlight filtering through. The rain had subsided, the Shelgon was thankful for that.

"I know you can't understand me but since we might potentially be living together, introductions are in order. My name is Bahamut. Yo!" The Gabite gave the Shelgon a salute but the Endurance Pokémon just stared in confusion at him. "Don't worry about it. I'll teach you how to speak in our tongue. You'll get the hang of it later. Well, come on. Your new life starts tonight." Bahamut beckoned for the Shelgon to follow and it happily did so, glad to find that the Gabite took to using a friendly disposition with it.

"We're going to have to give you a name too." The Cave Pokémon said as an afterthought as he and his new ally stepped out into the open field on route to their home.

* * *

 

Dragon Realm - Present Day... Night.

Calamity stirred from her sleep, idly waving her tail around as she woke up from her dream. She still felt groggy and struggled to keep herself awake. Her body ached, though not as much as she remembered. Her last memory was that of a Blaziken besting her in battle. Her eyes shot open and looked around, wondering if she was still in the Seismic Highland. She prepared to get up but was stopped by a familiar voice.

"Don't. I won't have you putting pressure on your wounds after all the trouble I went to licking them clean." She looked around the brick-lined room, her eyes eventually falling on a Garchomp. She glared at him but against her better judgement, her tail started wagging. She raised and thumped it on the ground to get it to stop.

"You don't have to be like that around me." Bahamut coolly told the Salamence.

Calamity wanted to reply but winced in pain when she tried speak, remembering how the Blaziken dislocated her jaw with a well placed kick. This did not go unnoticed by the Garchomp and he walked towards her with steady steps. Calamity looked up at him as he got closer and her eyes widened when he placed his claws on either side of her lower jaw before twisting and then wrenching it back into place. She gave an understandable roar of pain that was so loud it shook the bricks lining the walls of her den.

"Are you mad!? That is much too dangerous!"

"And efficient when done right." Bahamut added.

The Salamence did not look satisfied one bit and snapped her head forward to take a bite out of the Garchomp who responded quite calmly by stuffing a slab of meet between her jaws that was too big for her to swallow. When did...?

"Eat up." The Mach Pokémon instructed her. Calamity leered at him but did nothing apart from lowering her head and using her claws to hold down the pound of meat while she took bites out of it.

"I do not need you to take care of me."

"Yeah you do." Yeah she did. It was a pointless argument and Calamity wasn't even sure why she said it. She shook her head and changed the subject.

"Where is Sordid?" She was referring to the Hydreigon that accompanied her to the Seismic Highland.

"Venting his frustrations on some unlucky pokémon in the Volcanic Summit. He looked quite pissed when he left. Something about a pair of fire types getting the best of him." Bahamut crossed his arms and casually leaned his body against the wall. "He's the one that brought you back, by the way. You were both covered in scorch marks and bruises. I can't recall the last time I saw you so beat up. "

Calamity took a pause from her meal to recall her battle with the fire type and how all she could do was injure his leg before he defeated her. "...I lost to a Blaziken." She almost sounded embarrassed but Bahamut paid it no mind. "Those fire types... They were..." Too powerful for her to handle? She wasn't about to say that. "They were annoying." Calamity closed her eyes like a snob and took more bites of her food. Bahamut just chuckled at her expense.

"Sordid already told me everything. There's no shame in losing. Take it as a learning experience. Maybe now you'll think twice about rampaging in unfamiliar territory." He made it sound like she was some kind of out of control killing machine. It wasn't that far from the truth but she never really counted killing a wild pokémon as anything. That thought, she admitted, was quite morbid, considering that she used to be one herself.

"All I wanted was to see if there were more pokémon like... Like you out there." She visibly tensed, not really one to give praise. "I got tired of fighting the same pokémon day in, day out. I just wanted a change in scenery is all. I was not actually going to attack another realm. I had not even asked Sordid to come with me. He just did."

"And he's the reason you came back home. You owe him your thanks." The Garchomp reminded her.

"Yes, yes. I will thank him when he returns." Calamity rolled her eyes but then her expression softened as she averted her gaze from her fellow dragon. "Bahamut."

"Hm?"

"This Pokémon Settlement... What is it really like?"

Bahamut looked at the Salamence, not really sure what kind of answer she was looking for. Ever since he had evolved, he was able to make trips to the Pokémon Settlement by himself without worrying about running into anything he couldn't handle. He offered to take Calamity with him once but from her point of view, she saw it as just a way to do 'ridiculous, extensive shopping' and went on to say she 'thought it was ludicrous for her to fly for miles just to chat up pokémon she did not even know or like.' The Garchomp noted from her change in demeanor that she was starting to see the settlement for more than what she originally thought, likely owing to her first real taste of battle outside the Dragon Realm. She turned back to him expecting an answer and he leaned off the wall with a small smile.

"I'll tell you about it in full detail tomorrow but for now, please try to get some rest."

Calamity gave him a dissatisfied look but did as he asked, regardless. She looked down at her meal that was reduced to a pile of bones and took one of them in her mouth. Not to swallow, just to play around with it, making light crunching noises and wagging her tail in content. Looking back up, she saw Bahamut was still there, forcing his mouth shut to try and keep himself from laughing.

"Old habits never die, huh?"

"Just get out."

Bahamut chuckled and raised his claws defensively. "Fine. Goodnight then."

"Whatever." Calamity turned away from him and laid her head down. The Dragon Pokémon listened as Bahamut's footsteps became less and less audible until she couldn't hear them anymore. She turned her head up and found no one, leaving just her alone in her den. Calamity lowered her head back down one last time, closing her eyes and curling up her body. "Goodnight, Bahamut." She uttered inaudibly as she was sent back to dreamland.

* * *

 

Psychic Realm - Midnight

Night was usually a time that signaled the end of an individual's day. Stores closed, homes locked up and inhabitants sleeping soundly, patiently waiting for the next day to arrive. For two pokémon, however, the night would not be spent slumbering but rather carrying out a mission they took upon themselves. Latios and Latias silently and dutifully floated down the cobblestone path that was lined with steel pillars. On the top of the pillars sat special glassy stones, purple in color, which refracted the light they caught from the full moon above and illuminated the path for the two psychic types. To their left and right were rolls of buildings composed of both shops and homes, completely closed up for the night and would not be opened until the next day came around. Up above a flock of Sigilyph traveled to and fro the Psychic Realm in memorized routes and patterns. They never slept, instead keeping a watchful eye of the floating city every minute of every day.

About half an hour passed before the sibling dragons made it to the edge of the city overlooking the Spirit Peaks from which it ascended. The edge was blocked off by slim metal bars three meters in height separated by an inch of space fencing around the entire perimeter of the Psychic Realm. The steel fence was about a meter away from the edge as an added safety measure. Latios took a quick look at his sister who looked a bit uneasy about their whole ordeal.

"Is everything okay, Latias?"

Latias looked at her brother for a second and then back to the world below. "I'm just worried about Cresselia is all." The way the Lunar Pokémon used her power to provide Lunar Wings for her entire city as well as the majority of the Pokémon Settlement has left her in the worst condition they had ever seen her in.

Latios moved against his sister nuzzled against her reassuringly. "Cresselia will be fine. All she did was exhaust herself a little. She'll pull through. There's a reason Arceus chose her to lead the Psychic Realm."

"Because Mew wasn't available?"

"Be that as it may, Cresselia is more than fit to lead the psychic types. She's the sole reason our entire city is able to live peacefully, given the circumstances."

Latias' eyes went half-lidded as she thought about their situation. After witnessing Cresselia's continuous unwavering efforts to keep everyone she could safe, the Eon duo took it upon themselves to actually seek out the cause of the problem. That problem's name being Darkrai. Now that she thought about it, what would they say when they actually encounter the Pitch Black Pokémon? Will they be able to convince him to return to his faraway home of New Moon Island? Or would they get into a fight with him? The latter was something she did not want to happen as the thought of fighting Darkrai actually sent chills through her body. He was a dark type which made her secondary type useless already. He had deadly control over anyone sleeping and was a powerful fighter in his own right. Lots of pokémon feared him, feared his power. She was one of those pokémon, no lie. Regardless of all that, she made a promise to the beloved ruler of the Psychic Realm that they would find a solution in her stead. Latias looked through the steel bars and down at the spirit peaks, feeling the confidence coming back to her.

"Let's do this, Latios."

Latios chuckled at his sister's change in attitude. "I rarely ever get to see you this serious."

"It's for Cresselia. She needs us and I'll do anything for her."

"We both would. Not just Cresselia but our whole city as well." Latios followed red dragon's gaze to the world before them. "So how are we going to do this? His previous sighting near the Pokémon Settlement is the only clue we have to his whereabouts."

Latias thought about it for a few seconds before coming to her quick conclusion. "We could split up."

"Split up? Are you certain?"

"Yes... I feel we'll cover more ground that way. Metaphorically speaking. I also want to do a sweep of the Spirit Peaks to make sure he isn't too close to home."

Latios gave a reluctant nod but still looked concerned over his sister's decision. Latias smiled reassuringly at him.

"Come on, bro. Your sister can take care of herself. Besides, if either of us do sight him, we can contact each other through telepathy. I'll even promise not to engage him without you." Latias raised her pinky claw. Latios looked down at his sister's offered claw and with a bashful turn of his head, he raised his own pinkly claw and wrapped it around Latias', cheeks turning pink as he did so. She was too cute sometimes.

"Fine, it's a promise. I'll check things out near the Pokémon Settlement. I'll contact you if anything happens. Please do the same."

"You got it, bro."

"Alright. Let's get started."

The Eon duo separated from each other and flew over the barrier before making a dive for the land below, hitting ludicrous speeds in just a few seconds. They tucked their arms into their bodies and changed trajectory as they got closer to ground level. Now flying horizontally, the Eon duo split paths with Latios speeding into the horizon towards the Pokémon Settlement while Latias flew towards a valley to begin her search. The two pokémon were both anxious but hell if they weren't going to carry out their duty for the well being of their home and afflicted pokémon alike.

* * *

 

Pokémon Settlement - Berry Juice Bar

It had been quite the eventful day for the three of them. Fighting dragons wasn't something any sane pokémon would want to do, ice type or otherwise. There was a very good reason they had a reputation that made them stand out among the many types pokémon. Fully evolved, they were incredibly powerful beasts of battle and none could ever get used to fighting them. The same could be said for Team Blaze as their mission was no walk in the park. When they got back, the first stop they made was for the Guild Collaboration from which they received their payment and used that money to treat their wounds at the infirmary. After all that, they settled in the Berry Juice Bar for a meal and relax before they would call it a night. Being late night, the bar was mostly empty with only a few patrons lingering about. The trio of fire types sat at a table close to one of the walls, leisurely enjoying their meal and each other's company.

Jetstream had his leg bandaged from his thigh to his knee from when the Salamence tore it up during his finishing blow.

Scorcher had long since taken his Assault Vest off and had a medical patch placed against the bruise at his side. It no longer ached but he was still a little bitter over it.

Aiden had it the worst. During his battle, there was too much adrenaline pumping through his body for him to register any damage taken. When he woke up from his unconscious state, it became apparent just how serious the injuries he sustained were. He had bandages wrapped around his chest and back from when he was slammed to the ground and against a rock. His left arm was in a sling owing to the bite he was forced to endure from one of the heads of the Hydreigon he fought. It wasn't too serious, though. No bones were broken but the Blissey that treated him and his friends advised him not to put pressure on it. He somberly used his good arm to pick up a Lava Cookie and swallow it whole.

"You okay, Aiden? You've been holding that expression since we got back." Jetstream addressed the youngest member of Team Blaze with concern.

"Apart from these injuries, I'm fine. Just been thinking is all."

"About what?" Scorcher asked, pushing an empty plate to the center of the table.

"Nothing much. Just the battles we had today with those dragons." Aiden drowned the chunk he swallowed with a huge gulp of Berry Juice. "Why do you think they attacked the Seismic Highland anyway? Were they wild pokémon that came from the Volcanic Summit?"

"They weren't." All attention was drawn to Jetstream who finished up his meal and beverage. "They were from the Dragon Realm. The Salamence said she sought to do battle with as many pokémon as she could for the sake of it."

Aiden and Scorcher looked at each other and then back to the Blaziken. "I doubt that kind of action can be justified by a reason like that. I thought all realms respected their neighboring lands." Scorcher disputed.

"Yeah, well there you have it." Jetstream raised his arms, unable to offer any other explanation. "Let's just be glad they weren't crazy enough to actually attack the Ground or Rock Realms and that we intervened before they could cause anymore damage. Hopefully, we knocked enough sense into them to think twice about acting so carelessly in the future." Scorcher wanted to argue further but really couldn't since things were already taken care of.

"That's a shame." Aiden broke the short silence. "I was hoping to meet that Hydreigon again and pay him back for these injuries."

"I think the damage you did is enough for him to never forget who you are. The adolescent fire type that beat him all kinds of black and blue to match his body's colors. It must be tearing him apart." Scorcher laughed.

"That bad, huh?" Jetstream asked.

"Dude, you should have seen it! Our little guy here dodged all his attacks and kicked his ass all over the field. That Hydreigon must have had some serious endurance because not even I could get up from a beating like that. I can only imagine what he's telling his buddies back home. 'Stop laughing, you guys! I told you, I had a cold!'" Scorcher did his best whiny voice.

Aiden rolled his eyes but soaked up the praise nonetheless. He had to admit, putting those dragons in their place felt all kinds of good even though he woke up after the mission was already over. That thought reminded him of something important. "Hey, Scorcher... Thanks for looking out for me."

"Hey, no problem, Aiden. It was my pleasure to give the business to that jerk. No one messes my friends and gets away with it." A cheesy comment but it was fine. Scorcher raised his fist and Aiden reached over the table to bump it with his own but that action reminded him of his condition as he winced and sat back down.

"You okay, Aiden?" Jetstream asked with almost parental worry. "Please don't push yourself too hard."

"Fine. I'm fine." Aiden rubbed his aching arm. "Believe me, the fact that I can't do any jobs until I recover is more painful than these injuries. I hate bumming it out."

"Hey, don't sweat it, Aiden. Mellow out. Here, have a drink." Scorcher placed his cup in front of the Charmeleon who took a whiff of the stuff and both he and Jetstream shot the Infernape with a deadpan expression.

"This is alcohol."

"Yes it is."

"I can't drink this."

"Sure, you can."

"Okay, let me rephrase that. I won't drink this."

"Suit yourself." Scorcher retrieved his beverage and chugged it down in a manner that was not recommended. Aiden just gave him a flat look.

"You're a terrible guardian."

"For what it's worth, I never once called myself your guardian."

"I'm younger than you are. You should set a better example."

Scorcher raised an eyebrow and broke into a laugh soon joined by Aiden. Jetstream just chuckled at their antics. Their playful bickering was the most amusing thing to him. The rest of the night went on like that, the three fire types just enjoying each other's company. As more patrons left the Berry Juice Bar, it was called to attention just how late it was and they figured they may as well turn in, themselves. Jetstream left the payment as well as a tip on the table as he and his team left the bar through the Comfort Inn and out onto the streets of the settlement. It was the dead of the night and there wasn't a single soul awake, showing just how late it was. It didn't concern the fire types much. They wouldn't be taking any jobs for a while and they could rest as much as they wanted.

"I wonder how everyone is doing at home. It's been a while since we last saw them." Aiden struck up conversation as he walked with his team towards the apartment they were renting.

"It has been a while, hasn't it?" Jetstream looked up towards the sky in thought. "Been like, what, half a year now?"

"About." Scorcher casually clasped his hands behind his head. "You're missing them too, huh?"

Aiden nodded. Since they had an active career as a guild in the settlement, it wasn't often they got to see their friends and families back in the Fire Realm. "It would be nice drop by and see how mom and everyone else is doing. We should plan a trip sometime."

"How about next week?" Jetstream suggested. "We should be healed enough by then that travel shouldn't be a problem. These past months have been nothing but jobs day in, day out so we all deserve a little break anyway."

"I'm with Jetstream on that. What about you, Aiden? Looking forward to heading home for a bit?"

"Does an Ursaring crap in the woods?" Aiden answered, demonstrating what hanging out with pokémon older than him did to his vocabulary.

"It's settled then. We'll be traveling to the Fire Realm next week. We'll stay there until we make a full recovery and then it's back to business." The Blaziken explained. His partners had no problem with that.

"Sounds like a plan." Scorcher smiled, looking forward to seeing how his brothers were doing.

"Can't wait." Aiden smiled warmly. After everything that had happened, it would do them good to settle down and relax at home until they were refreshed.

With them all agreed, they continued to walk on in silence until they reached the building they were living in. A large flat that was home to them and many other pokémon, each having separate private rooms. Without much thought, all three fire types entered the building and towards their room to turn in for some well deserved rest.

* * *

 

The night had been more uneventful than he thought. Boring even. Not that this was a bad thing. As Latios soared over the Pokémon Settlement, he was relieved to find that there was nothing out of the ordinary. If Darkrai truly was in the area, the Lunar Wings that were distributed here would keep most of the residents safe. Beyond that, there was nothing he could really offer them in the way of protection. After circulating the entire circumference of the colossal city a few more times, Latios deemed his searched complete and started to think of what to do next. He could contact Latias and see how her own search was going. This wasn't an overstatement of their psychic abilities. The psychic link he had with his sister was stronger than any other pokémon in the world. They could contact each other telepathically at any time unless they were literally at the opposite ends of the world at which point their connection would be lost. What this meant is that their psychic link would never be severed as there was no circumstance he could think of that would allow them to be away from each other to such a extent.

Just as the Eon Pokémon was about to contact his sister, something in the distance caught his attention. He watched as rain clouds settled over the Spirit Peaks. The strange thing about it was that the focus of the sudden rainstorm was just around that area alone which made it look quite unnatural.

"Odd..." Latios placed all his attention on the storm cloud that continued to form in the distance. Was it Darkrai? Probably not. It had to be something though. The sky above him was completely clear and that raised his suspicions as to what the phenomenon transpiring above the Spirit Peaks was all about. Latias had promised him that she would contact him if she came into contact with Darkrai but thinking about it now, other hostilities were also a possibility. "Hmm... Could that be Rain Dance?" As Latios continued to study the happenings in the distance, his eyes narrowed as violent bolts of lightning began striking down from the dark clouds. He recognized the move as Thunder. It couldn't be mistaken, especially not by him as he could perform that move himself. Something was definitely up and felt he should get to the bottom of things. He could easily wave it off as two wild pokémon getting into a scuffle but he personally preferred to deal with potential problems before they became too big.

With a new goal in his sights, Latios tucked his arms back into his body and sped forward at blinding speeds towards the eye of the storm.

* * *

 

Spirit Peaks - Great Valley

How long had it been since he last saw the world in all its splendor? Too long, that was for certain. The world had not changed much during his isolation, he observed. The Spirit Peaks were still as brilliant as he last saw it, though. He looked down at the open valley and watched with his visible blue eye at the marvelous display. The open valley was popular to many pokémon because on bright nights such as this, the special rocks jutting from the various surfaces would illuminate beautifully in the moonlight and would paint the scenery a pale, almost magical purple. None could quite understand how these kinds of rocks came to be but many speculated that it was because of all the spiritual energy that radiated from the psychic types that lived in the Spirit Peaks.

Darkrai closed his eyes and sighed as parts of his body and hair billowed in the gentle breeze. He needed this. He needed a little time off New Moon Island to clear his head. Spending so many years in isolation did no favors to his psyche. It was too quiet. Too lonely. He was literally the only living thing for miles there. It got to the point where he would put himself in an extended hibernated state ranging from a few days to whole weeks just to help the time pass by. But the problem there was that when he woke up, it was still the same old thing as it was before. Maddening and discomforting silence. The dark, silent island was his whole world and sometimes he felt he wasn't satisfied with just that. He hid in isolation in order to protect the rest of the world from his power and even now he was putting many at jeopardy just by existing in the same place as them but there came a time when even he could see the great injustice that his ability brought him.

The Pitch Black Pokémon lowered himself to ground level and rubbed a claw across the surface of one of the purple rocks. The dark type then pulled the rock out of the ground and rose back up into the air as he inspected it. To the less informed, it could be mistaken for a valuable precious stone but it was really just a different colored rock and would shatter under enough pressure just as any would. That being said, its beauty could not be denied.

"They're really pretty, aren't they?" A timid voice asked from behind him. He turned around to meet the gentle gaze of Latias. He could recognize her from anywhere. Honestly, he recognized any legendary pokémon. He's been around for a very long time and he knew a lot more than what his sheltered life would lead some to believe. The question was why was she here?

"Um... It's a lovely night tonight, huh?" Well, Latias found him. Now what? "Um..."

Darkrai looked at the uneasy dragon type in front of him. Upon close inspection, he saw the Lunar Wing wrapped around her neck like a choker. An item that nullified his ability's effect on the holder that came from one pokémon and one pokémon alone. "Cresselia sent you to find me?"

Latias shuddered and backed away when he actually addressed her. His voice was deep, guttural and fear inducing. If he asked her to perform somersaults right there, she probably would for worry of what would happen to her if she didn't. "N-no. I-I'm here on my own."

"Why?"

The Eon Pokémon faced away from him. "Um... Well... That's..."

"Are you here to tell me to return to New Moon Island?"

Latias panicked when it seemed like she had offended him in some way and felt like she was about to be forced into a battle. She was taken by surprise, however, when Darkrai closed his visible eye and toyed with the rock in his hand. She sensed no malicious intent from him.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to hurt you or tell you you're wrong in finding me. You're probably just looking out for the Psychic Realm. Am I wrong?"

Latias shook her head. Unable to really form words.

"Tell me. Has Cresselia used her Lunar Wings to protect your city?" Still speechless, Latias did nothing but nod in the affirmative. Darkrai sighed in relief. That was good. Just like always, Cresselia was the first to be aware of his presence and already went through all the motions to neutralize his being a threat without making enemies between himself and her pokémon. His power wasn't harming anyone in the Psychic Realm and the presence of the Lunar Pokémon was the real reason he chose the Spirit Peaks as his place of rest.

"Wait... You already knew what Cresselia has been doing these past days?"Latias finally found her voice.

"I do." He turned away from her. It was more like an accurate guess on his part but the Eon Pokémon's question told him that he was correct in assuming that.

"Then you know what happens to Cresselia when she overuses her power? What's happening to her now?"

"...I'm aware, yes."

"O-okay, here's my third question. Why do you insist on exposing yourself when you know what your power does to Cresselia and other pokémon?" She didn't want to sound like she was accusing him of anything but it was hard not to with a question like that.

"I have my reason." Darkrai held up his arm and looked at the valley through the translucent rock as he replied. "You may not know this but my ability hinders me just as much as it does any other pokémon."

Latias blinked at that small revelation. "What? Really?"

The dark type lowered the rock and rubbed it against his body. "I cannot allow myself to form any friendships or any kind relationships with anyone else for fear of what would happen to them if they spend too much time in my presence. Being away from New Moon Island is the only way I can give myself comfort. That is why I sincerely ask that you please be patient with me, for my presence here is only temporary. You must understand, I mean no harm. My ability is a power I cannot turn off."

Latias already knew that last part. Everyone that knew of him did. But it wasn't apparent to her how much of an obstacle in his life it turned out to be even though it should have been. All she cared about was how it would affect others and never really gave any thought on how it affected the Bad Dreams wielder himself. Here she was, looking for a way to convince him to return to where he came when in doing that, she was shunning him away from the closest thing he could get to finding peace in his lonely life. It made her feel like crap, in all honesty. It's funny how the smallest piece of information could so drastically change the dynamic of a situation. She wasn't even sure what to do or say anymore. Darkrai noticed her deflated state and tried to assure her by placing his hand on her head. Latias' eyes went wide, her breath hitched and she visibly tensed as her feathers stoop up on end when he did that, causing him to quickly take his hand back as if he had touched molten rock.

"F-forgive me. I did not mean to hurt you."

"No... No, I shouldn't have reacted the way I did. I guess I just didn't know what to expect. I'm sorry." Latias gave a nervous laugh as her accelerated heart rate dropped down to safer levels. She sighed and looked at the dark type who still looked like he did her wrong, still holding the rock in his hand and turning his head away with a sigh. "Look, for what it's worth, I think you're a great pokémon. By that I mean... I don't think you're as bad as other pokémon say..."

Darkrai just stared at her, looking like he didn't believe a word she said. "Really." The way he said that hardly even sounded like a question.

"Yes, really. I'll be honest with you. When I came out here looking for you, I was expecting you to be all 'crush, kill, destroy' because of your reputation and everything I've been told about you. But talking with you like this, it's obvious to me that you're nothing like that at all. You're a real decent pokémon. Um... as far as dark types go. I also think it's really noble of you to sacrifice your social life to keep innocent pokémon from falling prey to your power. I'm not going to judge you because of something out of your control so... Uh, what I'm saying is... Please take all the time you need out here." Though she fumbled on her words, the red dragon smiled at him in her charming way.

Darkrai was left speechless by the Eon Pokémon's compassion and by her offer to let him do as he pleased despite what she knew about him. "You're sure about this?"

"I am." Latias frowned at his hesitance to take her up on her goodwill gesture. She guessed that so many years of him being alone had conditioned him to easily accept disappointment. She didn't think that was fair. "Really, take all the time you need. Though the Psychic Realm and Pokémon Settlement are protected from your power thanks to Cresselia, I would still appreciate it if you didn't go near any civilization for the sake of everyone's safety. I hope this is not too big a compromise?" The action she was taking was careless and risky but she didn't care as it was the best she could do without coming off as a selfish pokémon or potentially enticing further conflict between Darkrai and the Psychic Realm.

"Not at all. I'll admit, this is the most anyone has ever done for me." Latias' frown dropped further upon hearing that. "I will try to keep my power from harming innocent souls. You have my word."

Darkrai bowed towards the psychic type and she bowed back politely. She felt happy. She was expecting to duel with a pokémon she felt she had no chance of defeating but instead got to connect with him on an emotional level and deal with the issue in a diplomatic way. Without aid from her brother, no less. Mission accomplished, she smiled. Kindness: One, Oppression: Zero. She was about ready to call up her brother so they would return to the Psychic Realm together. Granted, she would have to twist her story a little to keep Darkrai from being further targeted. She hated lying but she hated conflict even more. This way everyone would benefit. Just as she prepared to open up the psychic connection she shared with Latios, she stopped when she felt a raindrop land on the top of her head.

"What? Rain? Now?" Latias held open her claws and felt as the rain continued to fall on her body. Looking up, she watched dark clouds form above the valley she and Darkrai were in, continuing to let loose a torrential downpour.

"This is Rain Dance." Darkrai informed and looked beyond her. "He's probably the cause of it."

Latias followed his gaze and saw the cause of the sudden storm. A pokémon. Not just any pokémon. This pokémon had a pronounced horn extending from his forehead, a draconian fanged maw, cruel yellow eyes, sleek arms covered in a cloudy substance and ending in claws, a long, thin tail adorned with black spheres that had small spikes on top of them, a jewel where his naval should be and an overall reptilian body. The lower part of his body was a deep blue and from the waist up was a lighter blue covered in small dark blue patches. This was the Bolt Strike Pokémon, Thundurus. More than that, it was Thundurus in his powerful Therian Form and he was here to crash the party. His tail whished side to side, electricity crackling through it as his storm worsened.

Darkrai didn't say anything. He already knew of the Bolt Strike Pokémon's less than pleasant attitude and exactly what he was here for. He looked at Latias and saw her glare with hostility at the electric type legendary.

"What's the meaning of this? What do you want from us?" Thundurus' answer came in the form of him charging large amounts of electricity through his body in order to strengthen the power of his electric type moves. Latias just continued to glare at the legendary in front of her. She wasn't remotely as patient with him as she was with Darkrai. Yeah, she knew about him and how he and Tornadus attacked the Tempest Peaks for no real reason other than to amuse themselves. Looks like the same thing was about to happen here. Not if she had a say in things. "If you think you can spread your mayhem here, you've got another thing coming, pal. You better just pack up and leave if you know what's-" She was stopped when Darkrai extended his arm in front of her in a protective display.

"Please, allow me to handle this."

Latias was surprised by his offer to fight in her stead. She thought she could at least attempt to intimidate the legendary into leaving without any struggles involved but it seemed the Pitch Black Pokémon had other plans. "You're sure?"

"I am. This is the least I can do for causing your home so much trouble. You are one of the few to show me kindness and I intend to pay you back for it. I do not tolerate pokémon that abuse their power to place fear in others, either. So please stand back."

Latias' surprised expression was soon replaced by a grateful, if not hesitant smile. "You have the stage then." Latias withdrew to ground level in a safer location. She did not leave the area, though, just in case Darkrai would end up requiring her assistance. She never wanted to witness any conflict to begin with but if Darkrai knew better, she wasn't going to stop him. Looks like this was going to be an eventful night, after all.

For his part, Thundurus felt like whoever he fought didn't matter as long as he got some action. Darkrai was sure to entertain him as much as he wanted.

"I shall give you a chance to consider what you are doing. Leave peacefully now or suffer unending torment." Darkrai shattered the rock in his hand and waited for the electric type's response. He felt it was a reasonable offer. Unfortunately, Thundurus didn't bite and only saw it as a challenge. He flexed his arms and gave a battle cry to the heavens as his body expelled surplus amounts of electricity around him. He was in no mood for talking and was all ready for battle. "So be it." Darkrai's gaze went cold and he used a clawed hand to beckon the Bolt Strike Pokémon towards him in a taunting manner.

Thundurus took the bait, the storm above them rumbling violently. He gave a mighty roar, his tail whipping around aggressively as the dark clouds crackled and heeded his call, electricity converging powerfully at a single point and unleashing it all as a mighty bolt strike that fired downward at unavoidable speeds towards Darkrai. The Pitch Black Pokémon, still locking eyes with Thundurus, simply raised his arm straight up and used Protect. The lightning strike landed against the barrier with a deafening boom, dividing around it and continuing to rain down in an array of charged projectiles that scorched parts of the valley below them. Just as Thundurus was about to strike Darkrai with another Thunder, the dark type held his arm in front of his face and snapped his fingers. As soon as he did this, a collection of purple seals formed around the Bolt Strike Pokémon and he found himself no longer able to use his strongest attack.

"That is Disable." Darkrai informed the hostile legendary. "You cannot win this battle. I am lenient and will allow you one last chance to leave unharmed. Consider your actions, Thundurus."

Thundurus considered his action, all right. Just not in the way Darkrai was hoping, going for the next best thing and discharging large amounts of electricity around him in a large radius. The Pitch Black Pokémon, not fancying the idea of being electrocuted while wet, flew backwards out of range of Thundurus' attack. The electric type pursued, chasing Darkrai through the stormy valley at high speeds and using his horn to shoot Thunderbolts at the fleeing dark type. Darkrai waved his body side to side, avoiding Thundurus' relentless assault quite easily. He was good at destruction, Darkrai will give him that. Too good at it, he thought, watching as the electric legendary's attacks collided with the terrain around him while he skillfully flew backwards. The dirt and rocks that were thrown up by the shots of his Thunderbolt actually worked against the Bolt Strike Pokémon, temporarily obscuring his vision and making him miss his next shot and so on. When Darkrai dodged left, a Thunderbolt aimed at his chest impacted with the ground which resulted in Thundurus receiving a mouth and face full of dirt, making him stagger and lose focus of where he was flying. Darkrai took this opportunity to point his hand towards his distracted opponent and fire a powerful Dark Pulse that knocked the Bolt Strike Pokémon out of the air, sending him crashing to the ground where he tumbled and rolled quite aggressively before coming to a skidding halt.

Darkrai stopped flying at this point, instead lowering himself to ground level and inspecting his foe from a safe distance. He watched as Thundurus stirred and picked himself off the ground followed by him meeting his gaze with a glare. Thundurus floated back up and flexed his muscles. A dark energy surged through his body, stimulating his mind as he powered himself up with Nasty Plot. Ready to continue, Thundurus used Thunderbolt once again, this time the electric projectile being greater and more deadly than the last. Darkrai put his arm up and used Protect to block the first attack and then took off back into the air to avoid the next one. Thundurus immediately followed after his opponent and fired what were pretty much electric missiles at this point at the dark type. This new dramatic change in power forced the Pitch Black Pokémon to put more effort into his movements. He craned his body back in a quick flip that helped him avoid one projectile as it sailed over him and he fired a Dark Pulse which collided with the next attack. The end result of their opposing attacks was an obscuring black pulse of charged energy that continued to expand dangerously and rain down residue particles towards the increasingly abused land. The two dueling pokémon flew around their combined attack and re-engaged each other, shooting at one another with the same attacks as before which ended in much the same way, causing another burst of dark energy and electric particles.

From her position some yards away, Latias watched their battle unfold with caution. Their combined actions were really doing a number on the land. She gulped with uncertainty, hoping Darkrai would put an end to his battle sooner than later. She watched as a new wave of charged projectiles fell towards her location, forcing her to quickly find a new hiding spot if she didn't want to end up a black spot on the ground. It was an exaggeration, electricity never really hurt her that much, being a dragon type and all but that didn't mean she wanted to get struck by it. She flew a little into the air where she could keep a closer eye on the battling pokémon and allow her to get a better read on what they were doing.

'Latias! Are you there?' A voice came from inside her head.

'Latios? Where are you?'

'I'm on my way towards the storm that formed around your location. Are you okay?'

'I-I'm- Aahh!' Latias narrowly avoided a stray Thunderbolt.

'Latias, what's the matter? Are you under attack?'

'Well... Uh... Sort of. I found Darkrai... But-'

'Darkrai? Is he the one causing all the explosions I'm seeing?'

'No... Well, yes but- Ah!' Latias winced as a bolt landed against her body. The sensation made her shudder but the pain barely registered.

'What was that? Are you hurt? Hold on I'm almost there!'

'Wait, Latios! You don't understand! Latios? Latios! Damn... He closed the connection. I forget we can do that.' Latias gazed back at the battle taking place, hoping Darkrai would wrap things up before her brother arrived so they could explain the situation to him if the need arises.

Chaos continued to ensue in the sky as Darkrai and Thundurus' battle raged on, the two pokémon firing their best attacks at each other. Thundurus in an attempt to down the dark type while Darkrai fired his mostly in retaliation and also as a slight reminder to his opponent that he was out of his league. Thundurus could beat Darkrai any day in the offensive department but that didn't mean anything if the dark type was too fast for him to catch. It frustrated him to no end to see just how easily the Pitch Black Pokémon could fly circles around him. Just as Thundurus was about to attack the nimble Dark type with another Thunderbolt, he felt something reawaken within him. He smirked, Disable's effect had worn off on him, allowing him the use of his deadly Thunder attack. He summoned the heavy dose of electricity from the clouds above him but instead of trying to drop it on Darkrai like before, he instead dropped it on himself. The gigantic bolt of lightning was attracted to the sharp horn on his head, striking against it and activating his Volt Absorb ability, healing himself by a fair margin and giving him the boost he needed. From there, the electric type pointed his horn towards his opponent, gathering enormous amounts of electricity at the tip, growing larger in size by the second until it was about twice the size of his head, at which point the Bolt Strike Pokémon released it all at the dark type before him. Darkrai's eye widened in surprise for the first time that night, watching as Thundurus' attack flew towards him. Too wide and traveling too fast to avoid, Darkrai's only option was to cross his arms in front of him and use Protect. Even with the impenetrable barrier defending him, Darkrai was sent flying towards the ground at breakneck speed and collided quite violently against the earth. He watched from within his protective screen as the attack exploded around him, distorting his view of the world and nearly making him go deaf, the electricity scorching the valley as it continued to expand around him. He closed his eyes and winced, not knowing how long he could keep the barrier up. If he lapsed for even just a second, he would be exposed to the thunder dome that would surely do him in. Thankfully, he held on just long enough for the attack to die out before his barrier did. He could not take another attack like that. Judging from the look in Thundurus' eyes, he probably knew this too and prepared to fire the same attack again.

"I will not allow you." Darkrai rose up from the crater that was formed in the wake of Thundurus' attack and raised an open palm towards the hostile legendary. "This battle is over." As soon as he said this, multiple blackish-purple substances the same size as his body formed around him before flying towards his foe in a large inescapable volley of energy spheres.

Thundurus immediately ceased with his attack and attempted to avoid the incoming projectiles. He dodged the first, flew under the second but wasn't so lucky with the third. The moment the projectile even tapped him the slightest bit, Darkrai's signature move, 'Dark Void,' initiated and he felt himself swallowed up by the dark sphere. The Bolt Strike Pokémon's eyes got heavy. He panicked and fought to stay awake, knowing full well what would happen if he fell asleep in the presence of Darkrai. It was no use, the attack had fully gripped him, everything went dark and he was dragged into his demise. Fully asleep, Thundurus instantly became tormented by hellish nightmares. Nightmares so painfully intense that they caused him to scream in agony and claw at his own body, subconsciously trying put a stop to it, staining his claws red as he drew his own blood in nasty gashes in the process. With the defeated legendary no longer having control over his body, he fell down to the surface, falling listlessly into a crevice and out of Darkrai's sight. With the Bolt Strike Pokemon's defeat, the storm pouring into the valley lessened to a harmless drizzle then slowly ebbed away to nothing.

Darkrai sighed. It was over. The battle was won. Now maybe he could- wait... What was that? The dark legendary's attention was caught by a red object falling to the ground. Only it wasn't a simple object at all.

"Latias!" Darkrai flew towards the falling psychic type, managing to catch her before she hit the ground. She was asleep, which only meant she got hit by his Dark Void. "Tch... How could I be so careless?" He watched her chest rise and fall steadily. She wasn't having a nightmare, that was good. Now only thing left was what should he do with her? Should he wait for her to wake up, wake her up right there or take her back to the Psychic Realm?

"Latias!"

Darkrai looked up and saw that Latios had finally made his appearance but with the worst possible timing. His death glare was understandable. His sister asleep in his arms covered with a few scorch marks and matted feathers, not to mention the battle scarred land around them... It was quite incriminating.

"Get away from my sister!" From Latios' mouth came a Dragon Pulse that served as more than a warning. Darkrai had no choice but to drop the sleeping pokémon unceremoniously to the ground in order to avoid the attack.

If Latios wasn't pissed before, he sure as hell was pissed now. He flew over to his sister and held up her neck and upper body. There was a smile on her face as she enjoyed whatever pleasant dream she was having. He eternally thanked Cresselia for that but it didn't sate his anger any. Darkrai observed Latios put the slumbering pokémon down and glare at him in silent fury. He didn't look like he was in the mood to talk or listen. The dark type closed his eyes and sighed. It looked like he was going to be forced into the role of villain yet again.

"You-" Latios started but was cut off.

"Forgive me..."

Before Latios could respond, Darkrai was in front of him in the blink of an eye and placed his palm on the Eon Pokémon's forehead, incasing him in a black dome and putting him to sleep. Latios fell to the ground next to his sister right there. Darkrai sighed. He wished things never had to turn out this way but really, it was pretty much what he was expecting for being so incompatible with other pokémon. At least this option was better than engaging him in combat as he never wished to cause either of them any harm. He stroked his claws through his hair in exasperation. He only hoped they would forgive him when they woke up. Latias might but he wasn't so sure about the protective Latios, who had found him in a rather compromising situation. Best case scenario, the female Eon Pokémon would explain things to her brother and eliminate the tension among them. For now, he had two sleeping dragons to deal with.

"I suppose I should take responsibility. This is partly my fault, after all." Darkrai reached down and hefted the Eon Pokémon over his shoulders. Normally carrying just one would be more than enough for him but he could use Psychic to ease their weight on him. He looked up and could make out the Psychic Realm as a bright jewel in the sky, probably a fifteen minute flight when carrying two pokémon like this.

"This night is over. Let's get you two home."

* * *

 

Arceus-damn it, that was awful... He got Latios and Latias safely back to the Psychic Realm, well and good but not without running into a few problems. The furthest he could get them was the gates of the floating city before he was immediately assaulted by the Sigilyph patrolling their home. He couldn't very well attack them, not even in self defense as that would cause alarm to the citizens of the realm. He instead fled and while doing so found that the flying types were pretty damn good shots, managing to clip him while he was a kilometer away. It wasn't even because he was who he was, the Sigilyph were inclined to attack anything foreign that came close to the Psychic Realm. At least there wasn't any discrimination... After a greeting like that, he knew that he couldn't very well remain in the Spirit Peaks as he did not want to cause anymore problems for himself or the pokémon that lived close by. This is why he flew through the sky, over the ocean, looking for any piece of land to inhabit for the night. The activities forced on him left him in an exhausted state. He had no idea what time it was but his body screamed 'too damn late.' Honestly, any piece of land would do it for him. Any piece of land that wasn't New Moon Island. He couldn't go back. Not yet. Anywhere but that dark and dead-silent island. Anywhere that would lead him to believe there was life around him.

As he thought this, he caught a glimpse of something in the distant. A small islet that stood out in the otherwise empty ocean. He did not question what it was or what kind of pokémon inhabited it, all he saw when he looked at it was a place to rest his tired body, he had been flying for too long. He descended towards the island, feeling an odd but calming aura as he got closer to it, almost as if it was pulling him toward it. The moment he reached the island, he just plopped face-down on the lush and incredibly comfortable grass. The soft grass, coupled by the sound of the gentle waves splashing against the shore behind him was enough to lull his fatigued body into a peaceful sleep.

"Oh, irony..." Darkrai managed to mutter as he felt himself get whisked away into the land of dreams.

* * *

 

Uncharted Island - Morning

Calming waves, chirping birds, soft grass, it was all so soothing. He had not felt like this in a long time. Too long, if you ask him. The well rested legendary stirred as he felt a tapping against his arm. He opened his eyes slowly as he gave himself time to adjust to the light of the morning. When his eyes focused, he was greeted by a quartet of Tailow placing some Oran Berries in his open hand. He clenched his claws, informing the flying types of his awakened state. Contrary to what he thought, the Tailow did not fly away, instead chirping with joy as they flew up to sit on his shoulders while he got up. He looked at them and then down at the berries he held.

"Are these for me?" He kind of already knew the answer but, again, he wasn't used to anyone doing anything for him.

The Tailow didn't let it bother them, simply chirping in happiness and nodded their heads.

"Thank you..." Darkrai brought the berries up to his mouth, out of view from his audience and gladly ate them. "They are delicious, thank you."

The flying types, happy that their guest accepted their food, flew off his body and hovered in front of him, bobbing up and down, chirping something he couldn't understand and then flying into the lush forest ahead of them.

Darkrai, figuring he had nothing else to do, followed after them. He found the forest to be quite attractive. Every plant and tree he laid his eyes on grew healthy and bared ripe fruit. Some Rattata scampered in front of him, stopped to offer him a smile and ran into some bushes. As he walked passed a tree, a pair Pachirisu climbed up a branch and jumped from them onto his shoulders, ran down his body and towards where he came. The pokémon here were oddly comfortable with his presence, treating him as if he had been living with them since they hatched. He looked forward, continuing to follow the birds until the forest opened up to a wide watering hole. The water was crystal clear, and the large pond was framed by rocks and neatly placed vines and shrubbery. The flying types all perched on the rocks at the water's edge and looked at Darkrai expectantly. What did they expect him to do? Go for a swim? He doubted that. Besides, he wasn't really in the moo-

"Darkrai..."

The dark type blinked. Someone just called out to him but he didn't tell who. Maybe he was hallucina-

"Darkrai."

Yup, there was definitely someone calling out to him. He looked at the flying type and saw that more pokémon had gathered, flying types that sat on the rocks and small rodent normal types that stood by the water's edge. They all looked at the pond, making him do the same. There was a ripple that came from the center as something rose from the water. As more of the objected was revealed, he found that the thing rising from the pond was... None other than himself. It was like looking into a mirror as another Darkrai stood in front of him. Obviously, it was a little unsettling.

"Wh-Who are you?" Darkrai hesitantly asked.

The dark type in front of him just craned its head in confusion. "Is it not obvious? I am you."

"Really." Darkrai deadpanned.

"I know it is hard to believe but your eyes do not lie. I am you. Or rather, a representation of your inner turmoil."

Darkrai did not like where this was going but that did not mean he wasn't at least a bit curious about this sudden apparition. He said nothing and his doppelganger took this as incentive to continue.

"This island possesses a mysterious power, you see. It reflects unresolved tension of any pokémon that stands before this pond. I cannot tell you what troubles you, as that is a conclusion you have to reach by yourself. By staying on this island, one may reach enlightenment and leave a complete being. It is your choice to leave now and continue to live your life as you see fit... But if it is closure you are looking for, please step forward."

Darkrai was at a loss for words. He still could not believe what he was seeing and wondered if he was still dreaming. Still, his copy's words were enticing and if the island indeed had mysterious powers, he wanted to see them for himself. He stepped, or rather floated forward. Now face to face with his doppelganger, he did not know what to expect. It reached a hand up towards his face and he felt his anxiety grow by the second.

"Honk."

Darkrai just floated there above the pond feeling like an idiot as his clone lightly squeezed the bridge of his nose. Then his clone started to shake like it was holding in a laugh. Not very well, he figured, as his clone erupted in amused laughter but that wasn't the weirdest thing. The weirdest thing was the clone's voice had changed to a more childish tone. It held its stomach and continued to laugh at Darkrai's expense. The strangeness did not end there as its body glowed white and grew to a smaller shape. So small that he was sure its head could fit in his hand. When the light cleared, the Pitch Black Pokémon found himself staring at a small, pink furred pokémon with a feline appearance and a tail that was twice as long as its body.

"Ahahahahahaha! You should have seen your face! You were all 'I'm totally eating up all this garbage.' Ahahaha! Oh, that's rich!" The immature pokémon held its stomach and kicked its legs in hysterical glee.

Darkrai just stood there, dumbfounded for an entirely different reason. Did he just run into who he thought?

"Ahahaha! Ooooohhh... My poor ribs! I haven't laughed like that in a while..." The New Species Pokémon wiped a tear from its eye.

"..."

"Okay... For real this time." The pokémon cleared its throat. "Hi! I'm Mew! These are my friends!" The little pokémon around the area made assorted sounds of greeting. "And we welcome you to Faraway Island!" Mew raised its hands and used its psychic power to raise the water in a high pillar behind it. The moisture combined with the sunlight filtering through the leaves of the trees created sparkles and a rainbow effect.

"..." Darkrai just looked at the flamboyant fanfare in front of him, still at a loss for words. There was only one thought going through his head at this point: What the hell did he get himself into now?

* * *

 

END CHAPTER.

 


	8. For the Future

The morning sun steadily rose over the horizon of the Brilliant Meadow and with it came a new possibilities. Birds sung as they flew through the air, signaling the brand new day to all those within earshot. Pokémon both wild and prestigious arose to continue the duties they had left open the previous day as well as take advantage of fresh opportunities the future had in store. The truth could be said for the Fairy Realm as many of its residents worked to and fro in preparation of their opening business hours. Some establishments had even been opened ahead of time, Flora's Library being one of them where a familiar looking Sylveon was headed.

The bell placed above the door frame of the inner structure jingled, informing the pokémon within that another patron had just entered. From behind her desk, Flora turned to the pleasant noise and smiled warmly at the slowly approaching Intertwining Pokémon. She placed the book she was holding in its spot on a shelf behind her and made her way closer to her desk so she could address the Sylveon politely.

"Good morning, Sylvia." Flora offered a friendly smile for her visitor. "Color me surprised. I would have never expected to see you here so early. Or here at all, really."

"Good morning, Miss Flora." Sylvia flashed a smile of her own. "Neither did I, actually. I'm here because someone else is."

"Angel?"

Sylvia nodded. "I figured I'd find her here." Sylvia stepped forward and laid down some shards on the Floette's desk. "I don't want it to look like I'm wasting your time so I'm going to borrow a book. Give me something good."

"You really know her well. She was literally my first visitor. She's seated at the furthest wall in the left wing of the library." Flora stashed the shards and rummaged through some books behind her before presenting the Sylveon with a novel she felt she would enjoy. "I hope romance is good enough for you, Sylvia. This one in particular is popular with girls your age."

"Romance is fine." Sylvia accepted the book with a smile. "Thank you, Miss Flora. Enjoy your day."

"Only if you enjoy yours, dear." The Single Bloom Pokémon waved as the fairy type Eeveelution took her leave further into the library, the book she borrowed wrapped gently in her ribbons.

Passing shelf after shelf all filled with books, Sylvia made her way deeper into the library, arriving at a door and gently passing through it, not wanting to disturb the few other patrons that also chose to visit this early. After a little more walking, Sylvia made a ninety degree turn down to a more isolated part of the library. Walking through an aisle that felt more like a corridor with how high the shelves were, she finally spotted her friend, sitting at a lone table and scanning intently at her borrowed literature. She smiled again and broke into a faster walk.

"Hey, Angel." Sylvia whispered just loud enough to catch the blue Kirlia's attention.

Upon hearing her name, Angel looked up from her book to see her friend take a seat next to her. With a happy smile, she offered her greetings. "Good morning, Sylvia."

"I see you're in a better mood than you were yesterday. That's good. I was worried you would still be moping around. I'm actually here because I came to check on you."

"That's really thoughtful of you, thanks. There's nothing to worry about, though. After all, I was assured everything's fine by Miss Fleur, Mom and even yourself." Angel was thankful she was surrounded by such amazing pokémon. "If I continued to act all emotional, it would only be selfish to those that offered me their support. So there's nothing to worry about anymore."

"That's the spirit." The Intertwining Pokémon wrapped one of her ribbons around her friend's shoulders. "Your smiles are priceless so don't waste them. So... What are you reading?"

"Oh. Just a short story today. Taking a break from the more compelling stuff for a little while." Angel just now noticed the book Sylvia came with. "Wow, really?"

"Laugh it up, you." The Sylveon rolled her eyes. "I figured I may as well since I'm here."

The Kirlia studied the front of the book for a moment. It was a book titled 'Sunset: An Unlikely Affair.' It had an illustration of a Crobat and a Mightyena being hostile with each other and on the bottom in between them was a Gothitelle that looked like it was undergoing emotional turmoil.

"Well this looks... Interesting. Never pegged you for a romantic." Angel commented.

"I'm not but hopefully that won't stop me from enjoying this book since I already paid to borrow it."

The Emotion Pokémon remained silent as she watched her friend open the book with her ribbons and begin reading it. Seconds turned to minutes to almost an hour and in that time, Sylvia's expression went from enraptured to stoic, then to annoyed and finally...

"Ugh!"

"Ssshhh. We're in a library."

"This book sucks! It's totally not like real life. I can't imagine these kinds of scenarios happening in the real world."

"It's fiction, Syl-"

"Who starts dating without communicating with each other first? You can't speak exclusively through held gazes. Also, I thought Crobat hated the light but this dude can look at the sun. Way for the author to do their research... I think this Gothitelle likes getting intimate a little too much. She has a problem. Every character so far has a problem."

Angel was more amazed that Sylvia covered quite a few chapters in little time. "I guess these kinds of books aren't your thing after all- You're still reading it?" The Kirlia watched in confusion as the Sylveon dove her nose into the book a second time.

"Well I want to know what happens next. This Mightyena is being a jerk and wants the Gothitelle all to himself. Oh come on, who's THIS now?" Sylvia complained.

Her conflicted ramblings got the attention of another library occupant. A Wigglytuff that was making his way down the aisle toward them with an annoyed expression.

"Um... Sylvia?" Angel spoke up, not wanting to deal with someone she didn't personally know. Especially when they looked like they were going to be confrontational.

Hearing her name, Sylvia looked up from her book and followed the Kirlia's gaze to the approaching Wigglytuff. Looking back to her friend, she saw that Angel wore a reserved expression and obviously didn't want to deal with this. Giving one final look the Balloon Pokémon, she put together a plan that would ease her friend's apprehension.

"May we help you?" Sylvia whispered at the pokémon now in front of their table.

"This is a library, girl, not a debate club. Some of us are trying to-"

"What? Please speak up, we can't hear you."

The Wigglytuff did just that. "I'm trying to read but you-"

"What?"

"I said I'm trying to-"

"What?"

"I said I'm trying to read so please keep it down!" He practically yelled in annoyance and got the attention of most the left wing's section.

"Excuse me, ma'am." Sylvia waved down one of the Floette down the isle that worked at the library. "We're trying to read but this guy is disturbing us. A little assistance please?"

The Floette made her way down to their table and held onto the embarrassed Wigglytuff's arm. "This is a library, sir, please keep it down. Here, let me find you a new table." With that, the Balloon Pokémon was whisked away wearing an incredulous expression and the Sylveon smirked triumphantly at him. With the commotion over, the other visitors went back to their reading while Sylvia faced her friend with a mischievous smirk.

"Problem solved." She whispered.

"That wasn't very nice."

"I know, right? The nerve of that guy."

"That's not what I..." Angel just gave her friend a blank expression before giggling into her palm. She wasn't going to lie, the misdirection was funny and the irony of having the innocent taken in for her crime was not lost on her. Sylvia certainly had a mean streak.

"There's that smile I love. If you hold it for the rest of the day you'll make me a really happy pokémon."

"Noted."

"Good. We got all morning so let's enjoy it."

Angel nodded in agreement and focused on her own book. They continued to read together in silence for the remainder of their time in the library. She was glad she had someone as supportive as Sylvia for a friend. Very glad.

* * *

 

Mirage Island - Morning

Mirage Island, as it was apparently called, was the very definition of a small island paradise. The flora flourished and the fauna pranced about without a care in the world. The air was as pure as can be and the sky was clear of clouds without the temperature being too high. A welcoming breeze wafted throughout the island and the waters of the ocean splashed gently against its shores. Trees and berry plants grew to their fullest potential, unhampered by any means of pollution or toxicity. Truly a place any pokémon would love to call home.

All of this, however, went ignored by the Pitch Black Pokémon in favor of what was right in front of him, floating above the watering hole in a carefree manner. Since the previous night, Darkrai's luck had taken a turn for the unexpected but nothing could have prepared him for the rare event that is encountering the illusive Mew. Both said nothing as the small pokémon gathered around just continued on with their lives without them. Eventually, the legendary psychic type broke the silence...

"Purrloin got your tongue?" With a phrase that was barely a conversation starter.

"Hmph. Color me surprised. I wouldn't have expected to meet you of all pokémon. Is that how you greet all of your visitors?"

"You're the first one, actually. I had a lot of time to practice." Mew went from its curled up position to floating on its stomach, cheeks in paws.

Darkrai looked around briefly then set his eyes back on the New Species Pokémon and decided to engage in the ever awkward act that is small talk. "This island is yours I presume?"

"Yep! I made it myself. You won't find an island better than this one. Granted, you won't find this one at all."

"And why is that?"

The pink pokémon gave Darkrai a knowing smile. "I can move this island at will in any direction I want and even use my psychic power to camouflage it. It's kind of a private mobile home for me and my friends." Mew motioned to the friendly wild pokémon around them. "Wild pokémon are a different matter from prestigious pokémon, they pose no threat to us. Too much presence of individuality would only lead to conflict. In fact, I welcome more wild pokémon whenever I can. The more the merrier. I can just enlarge this island if it gets too crowded. And because I can relocate it to pretty much wherever, it's unlikely anyone will ever find us and spoil our fun."

"But then how did I find myself here, if that's the case?" Darkrai inquired.

"Hmmm... My only theory is that you have the greatest luck in the world. Tee-hee." Mew smirked and curled back up, rocking itself back and forth as it did.

Darkrai scoffed. "I have serious doubts about that."

"Oh? What else can I call a pokémon that not only found this island but also held a conversation with me? I have three fingers yet I can still count on one paw how many non-wild pokémon have gotten to speak with me." The psychic type stated.

"Isn't that a little conceited of you to say?"

"What? You want me to pretend that we legendary pokémon aren't special? Well we are. Both you and I are special, Darkrai. Uh huh. Difference is I'm not shy about admitting it." Mew did a few twirls in the air. "We're one of a kind, you and I. We're different from the masses. We do not require any names because our species name alone is enough for us to be recognizable by everyone. Us legendary pokémon are a greater importance to this world. We were placed here by Arceus himself for a higher purpose, after all."

"A purpose you refused to uphold." Darkrai reminded the psychic type.

Mew took on a thoughtful expression. "Yes, that is one way of looking at it but consider this; had I accepted the role of leader of the Psychic Realm, it would mean Cresselia's home would retroactively be her original on Full Moon Island. So no Cresselia, no floating city, limited to no Lunar Wings... And no protection from you. Think about that for a second."

"..." That last part left Darkrai speechless. Being a pokémon that made others suffer for his freedom, he supposed he should appreciate the way things turned out. As Mew implied, this past week could have been a lot worse for all those involved, were the circumstances different. Sighing, he leveled his blue gaze on the psychic type again. "So what's your story? Is this where you've been hiding the entire time?"

"Yes." Mew admitted, shamelessly. "I've spent the majority of my life enjoying my freedom. It's an easy thing to do when you own a moving island. Not many legendary pokémon can say that, you know?"

"I'm glad at least some of us have that luxury."

Mew regarded the dark type with an unreadable look on its face. It knew of the Pitch Black Pokémon's reputation. Everyone did. He isolates himself in a single location for years on end so that innocent pokémon don't have to be tormented by unrelenting night terrors. It was a huge and unfair inconvenience but the small psychic type stuck to its beliefs that things happened for a reason. He sighed and took on an uncharistically serious expression.

"Listen, Darkrai... I'm going to share with you something Arceus told me a long time ago just after he gave the position of the Psychic Realm's ruler to Cresselia... Rules don't... Uh... Wait, hold on... Ah! I remember now... Rules don't exist to bind you. Rather, they exist for you to be more aware of your freedoms. Nothing good ever comes from focusing too much on what you can't do. There's nothing more important than freedom and instead of being envious of those that have it, use every tool at your disposal to achieve your own. When every pokémon is aware of their freedoms without acting on selfishness, that will be the day when peace among all will be achieved... Or something like that."

Darkrai stared at the small pink pokémon with surprise evident on his otherwise featureless face. He thought heavily on what Mew just said as well as what it said prior. From the immature way it first presented itself, he wouldn't have guessed the New Species Pokémon held this level of empathy.

"You're more mature than you look." The dark type finally spoke.

"And you're way less scary than you look." Mew giggled.

"Touché."

"Alright, now that we've poured out our hearts... Let's play!" Mew performed a series of loops around Darkrai before grabbing his arm and leading him nowhere in particular.

"Actually, I should probably get going." Darkrai halted their aerial advance and drew his arm away from a disappointed Mew. He faced away from the psychic type and was ready to take to the skies, albeit reluctantly. "Thank you for the hospitality... But it'd be best if I took my leave."

"Why?"

"Why? I don't belong here, that's why. My presence alone will cause problems for your home. You know that." Came the dark type's apathetic answer.

"Is it because you're ashamed of what you are?"

The voice was suddenly much deeper, sounding a lot like his own which caused Darkrai to turn and face Mew. Sure enough, the New Species Pokémon had transformed into him again.

"Please don't do that."

Mew transformed back into its own form and flew directly in front of the dark legendary. "Sorry. It's just... You don't have to run from us is all I'm saying. You're welcome to stay here a bit longer if you want to. You have nowhere else to go, after all." New Moon Island didn't count as there was nothing and no one to return to there. It wasn't a home. It was a cage-less prison.

"But my power... The pokémon here will-"

"You know, I wonder about that." Mew gave him a coy smile. "I mean you spent the entire night here with no ill effects to anyone. Have you really not questioned why that is?"

Now that the subject had been brought up, Darkrai really did wonder why no one on the island was affected by his ability. Just as he was about to ask, Mew held up one of its tiny fingers.

"The answer is very simple." Mew's body glowed and grew in size. Before long, Darkrai was no longer staring at Mew but Cresselia instead. The now Lunar Pokémon focused her power and created a Lunar Wing in a sparkling display which floated over to Darkrai. Finished, Cresselia transformed back to Mew who then smiled cutely at the astonished Darkrai. "When you have the ability to restructure your genetic code to match any pokémon in the world, stuff like this becomes easy. Though, I can't do it for long. It's as tiring as it looks and sounds."

Darkrai, looked at the Lunar Wing tied around his wrist and back to Mew, unsure of what to say.

"Everything is fine, Darkrai. You left your isolated island to experience freedom and I'm giving you a chance to do so. You're a good pokémon and I feel that you deserve better." Mew smiled invitingly and offered its open paw to him. "Come on, play with me. Let's experience freedom together."

The dark type looked at the offered paw and, after a brief moment of hesitation, took it into his dark, clawed hand.

Mew grinned at this and with alarming speed sent them both careening through the air where they were quickly joined by the Tailow from before.

With the breeze blowing against his face, Darkrai looked at the legendary psychic type holding on to his arm and felt himself smile. A smile no one could see but it didn't matter. Nothing mattered to him at the moment. This is what he had been looking for the entire week he was off his own island. For the first time in a long time, he was hopeful. His only wish was that this newfound friendship with the New Species Pokémon would last beyond his expectations.

'Mew... You have my gratitude.' The dark type thought to himself as he was willingly led to who knows where by the cute pink bundle of fun.

* * *

 

Psychic Realm - Afternoon

"How are they?"

Xanatos stared up at the fatigued Lunar Pokémon on her high perch. Being one of her aides, the Alakazam made it his duty of relaying to her the state of the twin Eon Pokémon after they had been brought to the medical ward by the Sigilyph.

"After a quick check up, they didn't appear to have any lasting damage apart from being put into a deep sleep. The Lunar Wings did their trick and saved them from Darkrai's curse. They are currently resting in their chamber." The Alakazam explained.

Cresselia sighed, relieved. After Latios and Latias voiced their intention to repel Darkrai themselves, granting them protection and offering them words of encouragement was all she could do as she was in no state to dissuade them from taking on this responsibility. Though, she was aware that the Pitch Black Pokémon held no malice, his ability still posed a threat to all pokémon in his immediate vicinity. Moreover, she had her doubts that the psychic dragons could take him in a fight. Not that she had no faith in their power, rather she was worried about their well being. If something had happened to them, she could never forgive herself.

"Do you believe they were successful in their mission?" Xanatos spoke up.

"I...I no longer feel his presence in the mainland." Cresselia paused to catch her breath. She was still in terrible shape and could easily exhaust herself. "Whether or not they got caught in a battle remains to be proven but, regardless, it can be assumed they settled the problem one way or another... Are they awake?"

"They awoke from their sleep an hour, thirty two minutes and fifty four seconds ago." The Psi Pokémon explained.

Cresselia nodded, chuckling at her fellow psychic type's accurate reading. "That's good. We can debrief them later. Have someone prepare a meal for them. They must be famished. And... Give them my thanks."

"Yes, my queen." Xanatos bowed and teleported out of the rotunda to carry out her order.

Cresselia gave a warm smile to where the Alakazam had been standing before nodding off into a well earned slumber.

* * *

 

Seismic Highland - Underground Catacombs

A wild Boldore appeared! Which proceeded to go down from a single use of an Excadrill's Drill Run, the Subterrene Pokémon's Mold Breaker ability allowing it to completely negate the rock type's Sturdy ability and pulverize it into dust. After that little set back, the ground type hefted a sack of assorted precious stones over his shoulder and called back to his subordinates.

"All right, let's proceed."

"Yes, sir, Captain Pintsize!" Came the reply of three Drillbur, Digger, Doug and Duster, each with their own bag of swag.

The leading Excadrill, named Pintsize, led his crew deeper into the caves of the catacombs. A large subterranean network the ground and rock types of their respecting Realms used for their mining activities. Being already large when first discovered, it only grew in size as active miners continued to expand its spacious caves for the valuable minerals it held. Ever since word of the rampaging dragons' defeat had arrived from the Pokémon Settlement, the denizens of the Ground Realm were given the green flag to continue their duties. To shed a little light, mining was entirely possible but the Ground and Rock Realms preferred to exercise caution as a strong enough attack, Earthquake for example, could lead to catastrophic effects such as cave-ins or other disasters that could end the good lives of good workers. This was also the reason why the Ground Realm decided to deploy a test mining team composed of only four pokémon.

"Over here. This looks like a good spot." Pintsize stopped his crew when they found themselves in a room with a high ceiling and wide floor. Few stalactites hung above them and barely posed a threat. Location, location, location. The Excadrill placed his hefty bag on the ground before leaping up, pointing all of his claws towards the ground, spun at high speeds like a literal drill on the way down and penetrated the cave floor like it was made of paper machete.

His subordinates followed suit, using their arms like shovels and quickly disappearing underground, though the ground types were mindful not to dig too far as to upset the structure of the cave. Again, safety first. Minutes passed and before long, stones of different sizes and colors were ejected from the holes dug, followed by the ground types leaping out of said holes.

"This looks like a good haul." The Excadrill nodded.

"A haul we hauled from the holes." One of his crew joked.

"...I'll give you that one, Duster but try harder next time." Pintsize and his team went on to add their findings to their growing stash. "I think this is good enough for today, boys. Let's archive what we have and trade them in at the Pokémon Settlement. If we tunnel our way to the Pokémon Settlement, we just might make the deadline. We've got a limited amount of time remaining so let's shake a leg."

"Yes, sir!" The Drillbur followed their leader out the way they came in on one of the paths designated for travel. The settlement's order for new stones and gems was long overdue. After making their exchange, the delayed job would finally be done and they would be heading back home...

* * *

 

Tempest Peaks, Forested Base - Evening

"How awful."

A howling wind blew as Guild Chartreuse observed the wreckage in front of them with an air of sympathy. Thundurus and Tornadus certainly did a number on the forest located at the base of the mountains leading up to the Electric and Flying Realms. Trees that weren't toppled off their roots were torn up instead, reduced to splintered stumps. The land was defaced with unnaturally large scorch marks that could only be brought about with strong electric attacks. But worst of all was the damage done to the large four meter tall stone statue of Zekrom the Electric Realm created as tribute to their leader. An arm and a wing were knocked off, it was blackened in some areas and deep cracks were littered all about. It was quite a disrespectful thing for the two legendary flying types to do.

"Those two have a lot of nerve." Serpentine commented.

"They could be using their power for the greater good but they instead choose to waste it like this." Valiant gave his own input.

Saber looked from his teammates to the devastation in front of him. Then he looked to the second group they had traveled with. A Rhyperior from the Rock Realm named Carapace accompanied by two Rhydon and a Conkeldurr from the Fighting Realm named Centrifuge. The fighting type carried a huge and heavy looking back pack over his shoulders, its contents a mystery. The job his team had taken was a joint mission given by the electric types of the Tempest Peaks and they had spent the entire previous day preparing for the journey. He and his colleagues were an assault team in charge of taking care of hostile pokémon while the rock and fighting types would help clear the area of fallen trees and fix the damaged statue. If things went off without a hitch, they would all be done by sunrise.

Stepping forward, Carapace and Centrifuge got started with their side of the job. The Rhyperior and his fellow rock types carried bags of cement and large containers of water with which they would use to fill in the cracks. Centrifuge would use the remaining cement to create new molds to replace the parts that were broken off the statue. It all seemed straight forward but the reason this was such a high ranking mission was because of the lingering threat of the two legendary assholes still being in the area. Say it with me now; better safe than sorry.

"Let's get started." The Rhyperior commanded gruffly. "Leave the repairs to us. Saber and your crew, please go ahead and scout the area for any potential problems."

"Sure thing. Come on, guys." Saber used his speed and agility to leap into the nearest tall tree.

"You two go on ahead." Valiant replied. "I won't be able to keep up with you speedsters in this thick forest so I'll stay behind and help with the heavy lifting. This way, I can also take care of any hostiles that would want to interrupt the fixing process while you and Serpentine are off doing your thing." The Chesnaught reinforced his statement by easily picking up a fallen tree and carrying it away to deposit it in a safer area.

"We'll leave it to you then." Saber nodded to Serpentine and the two of them vanished deeper into opposite ends of the forest.

Wind blew against his body as the Sceptile criss-crossed around the thick foliage in huge leaps. When it came to navigating tall forests like this, his kind were peerless in skill. He snagged a branch with a raised hand, the momentum of his jump forcing it to act like a pivot and swung himself higher into the tree tops. Grabbing onto the thick trunk of another tree, he used the clawed tips of his hands and feet to carry himself straight to the top, emerging with a rustle of leaves into the night sky. Standing up straight, the grass type looked down at the large forest below him. Even from this vantage point, the damage done to the plant life was visible. Each fallen tree added to Saber's growing ire. As a grass type, it pained him to see his natural habitat torn down so cruelly. One can argue that the trees could be re-grown but that wasn't the point. This didn't have to have happen in the first place. It wasn't fair for the forest or anyone to pay the price of another pokémon's selfish actions. On top of that, when new plants would eventually be planted, it would still take them years to fully grow to the majestic level of their fallen counterparts. Legendary or not, this act was unforgivable to him. He wasn't going to call them deities if they didn't give him a reason to be referred to as such.

"Tch." Saber raised his head and faced up at the starry night sky. The bright twinkles of the celestial bodies did nothing to quell his annoyance. What he would really like is a chance to put those two in their place. He was serious. He saw it as a favor to every pokémon that fell prey to their unprovoked wrath. It wasn't right to sit around and do nothing while the two continued to raise havoc for kicks. Someone had to do something. He felt that responsibility belonged to the guilds of the Pokémon Settlement that swore the oath that they would protect anything that needed protecting. The reason guilds existed at all was proof of that ideal. Saber knew other legendary pokémon could take them in a fight, some even in one hit but he felt that their defeat should come from the hands of the 'general masses' such as himself to prove the point that they weren't as weak as they appeared. As long as bullies are convinced they will always have targets, this kind of behavior will never cease. It was up to their targets to fight back.

After having enough of stewing in his dissatisfaction, the Forest Pokémon decided to continue with his scouting of the area. Quiet as the night, he jumped off the branch he was standing on and dove into the lower parts of the trees.

* * *

 

Fairy Realm - Entrance/Exit

Angel looked apprehensively between her two friends, unsure of how to reply to their offer. Gallant, Sylvia and herself stood just in front of the entrance of their home. The two brought her here this late at night, something that gave her much confusion but that confusion was quickly replaced by shock and disbelief when they revealed their intention to bring her with them to the Brilliant Meadow. At first she thought it was some kind of joke and even now she had trouble believing they were serious when they assured her it was anything but.

"You're actually serious?" Angel rubbed her arms together with hints of discomfort.

"Serious as the grass is green." Gallant replied.

"So what do you say, Angel?"

The addressed pokémon still had her doubts. "Wh-What if we get caught? I mean... Wouldn't this turn into a serious issue?"

"I doubt it but that's a risk we're willing to take." Sylvia asserted. "We're not going to force you or anything. The offer is in the air is all. You can come with us, wait here or even go home if you want but Gallant and I would really appreciate it if you came with us. You wouldn't believe how beautiful it is out there. I promise you won't regret it. Will you join us?"

Sylvia walked closer to the quiet Gallant and wrapped a ribbon around his arm. Gallant looked to Angel and stretched his other arm out toward her.

Angel looked at the arm offered to her, uncertainty giving way to curiosity. It was no secret to her friends that she wondered about the outside world just as much as they did and that she wanted to know more about it. A lot more. The opportunity to do so was right in front of her. Slowly, she reached out with her hand. Maybe she could break the rules... Just this once?

Gallant smirked at her and with a flash, the area around her vanished to pave way for a new one.

Blinking, Angel looked around her in awe. The night air wafted through the field, making the tall grass, trees and the rest of the flora rustle gently. The surrounding plant life extended well beyond her field of vision, giving her perspective a new sense of openness. The trees of assorted colors and sizes danced to the beck and call of the wind and were illuminated by the moonlight. The sky above presented her with a thick cosmos of dancing stars. It's like the world around her cried out 'let me show you what I got' and boy, did it ever. It almost felt unreal. She had never seen anything like this before and felt herself reach a new level of appreciation for her friends for showing her this wonderful sight.

"Wow. Wow!" She exclaimed before spinning like a top on one leg to take in as much of the environment as she could.

"I knew she'd like it." Sylvia chuckled to Gallant. "What do you think Ang-"

"It's amazing! Why didn't we come out here sooner?!" The Emotion Pokémon continued to spin and dance around as most Kirlia were prone to doing when happy.

"Woah there, girl." The Sylveon giggled and looked around, herself. "This place looks as incredible as ever."

"What compelled you to even come out here, Gallant?" Angel asked.

"Hmm... I guess you can say after seeing it the first time, I wanted more. If I could get away with it, I'd teleport all the way to the Pokémon Settlement. But that's wishful thinking."

"So keep wishing." Sylvia told him.

"I intend to make them come true some day. Hopefully after I evolve, I'll be granted enough independence to be able to see the rest of the world myself, not just the outskirts of our home." Gallant remembered what Saber had told him. "It's not that I'm saying the Fairy Realm isn't enough. It's just that we could experience so much more, you know?"

"I hear ya, Gallant." Sylvia lamented, looking up at the stars. "I mean, just last week I was barely aware of how many legendary pokémon there were in the world. Now I can't help but ask myself what else is out there waiting to be discovered. Or maybe everything has been discovered and we just aren't aware..."

Angel stopped spinning and looked at her friends. Seems all three of them had similar ideas and desires. Though, there was little they could do about it now. All they could do at the moment was wait and see what the future held for them.

"You think we'll get that chance?" The female Kirlia asked.

"It wouldn't make sense not to." Gallant answered her. "I'm not planning on letting things end here. I wanna know more about our world. I wanna experience more exciting journeys. Meet new pokémon. Share stories with new friends. All those things."

"Oh? Angel and I aren't enough?" Sylvia teased.

"That's not what I meant. Stop looking for trouble."

"Baby, I'm a trouble 'mon."

"I'm aware."

Angel giggled at her friends' banter before looking at the stars again. "We should probably head back soon. I don't want my mom to go mad with worry. She might come looking for us."

"It is pretty late, yeah. Come on." Gallant held out his arm to Angel. She could teleport back by herself but he was only being courteous.

Angel paid it no mind, stepping forward but fell short of grabbing onto his hand...

"KYYYYAAAAAAAAAaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa~!" Because she just got kidnapped by a Fearow that carried her through the air to its presumed nest.

"..." Gallant stared ahead of himself, Angel's voice becoming less and less audible as the bird of prey covered distance. The whole thing happened so fast that it took a few moments for the urgency of the situation to sink in. Slowly, he turned his head toward Sylvia and she did the same. Then they panicked.

"OH CRAP!" The remaining Kirlia was in hysterics.

"Miss Sana will kill us!"

"We have to get her back! Fast!"

The two of them bolted as fast as they could in the general direction their friend was carried off to.

For her part, Angel didn't know what to make of the situation. One minute she was chatting with her two companions and the next, she found herself soaring through the air in the talons of a Fearow, the ground below her passing by in a blur. The initial shock wore off quickly and the blue Kirlia could start making rational decisions.

"H-Hey! Let me go!" The Emotion Pokémon struggled in its grip. She didn't expect it to listen to reason and sure enough, it didn't. "Okay, you feathered fiend, you asked for it!" Gathering energy within her body, Angel let rip with a strong discharge of electricity, an action that caused the flying type to cry out in pain and release her immediately.

Free from her constraints, the fairy type fell to the ground at a dangerous pace but she wasn't worried. Using her skill at psychic manipulation, she slowed her body down to a safer speed then gently lowered herself to ground level, touching down with her dainty legs. Looking back up, she saw the Fearow making a straight line for her, unamused by her little escape trick. Instead of being worried for her life, Angel got into her standard battle stance. A socially awkward pokémon she was but that had no bearing on her combat ability whatsoever. When it came to battling, she was actually pretty confident.

"Guess it can't be helped." Angel's horns glowed white, becoming brighter still and suddenly releasing an intense flash of blinding light.

The Fearow shrieked in alarm and lost control of its flight, missing its intended target and crashing into the ground behind her. Not being granted time to recover, it felt some kind of force slam into its side that sent its body rolling further along the ground. Swinging its head side to side to regain its bearings, the Fearow stood up on shaky legs and glared at its target. All three of her. The flying type blinked in confusion at the three Kirlia standing a few meters ahead of it. One of them used a finger to lower its eyelid in a rude gesture which made the other two gawk at her. Figuring that must be the real deal, the Fearow charged at her, spinning as it went and using Drill Peck. The flying type skewered the one still making faces only for it to vanish like an illusion. The Fearow's error was rewarded by another Psychic attack that sent it spiraling out of control and into the tall grass.

"As if I would really act like that." Angel looked at her remaining clone who just shrugged.

An angry shriek alerted the Kirlia that the wild pokémon wasn't done. It launched out of the tall grass and made to dive-bomb her again. One of the Kirlia phased out of sight, leaving the other behind to be the sole target which the flying type focused its efforts on, figuring the one that disappeared must have been fake too. It altered its trajectory so it flew at a low altitude above the ground and ran the psychic type through with its sharp beak. It turned out to be an illusion as well with the real Angel reappearing on its back. The Fearow didn't know what happened but one second it was flying over an open path only for a bright flash to reveal it soaring full speed toward a rooted tree.

Having teleported her foe into the path of an obstacle, Angel leaped off its back at the last moment, forcing the flying type to ram beak-first into the tree's thick trunk. She looked back and watched as the Fearow struggled, planting its talons on the trunk and yanking as hard as it could to set itself free, wings flapping all the while. It wasn't yet done, she guessed, and decided to wrap things up. Spinning on a foot, she performed Double Team and three new copies of herself phased into existence that danced along with her.

The bird pokémon managed to shake itself free, its beak leaving a hole in the trunk. It darted its furious eyes around before spotting her prey. Four of them this time. The Fearow squawked in frustration at being unable to keep up with its prey's convoluted tactics. One of the Kirlia charged up a strong electric current and sent it crackling towards the flying type. It dodged to one side and used its speed close the distance between itself and one of its targets. The flying type gave a furious shriek and retaliated by driving its talons into the Kirlia that vanished into thin air, proving it was an illusion. Another electric attack was shot toward it and it responded by beating its winds rapidly at the oncoming attack, its Whirlwind acting as a strong enough insulator to cancel the move out. However, it wasn't ready for the third Thunderbolt attack. Its only option was to cover the front of its body with its strong wings in a protective stance and hope for the best. The plan succeeded. Succeeded a little too well, in fact. The flying type looked at itself, it was unharmed. That's when it all made sense. None of the attacks were real and just served as a distraction for the true Kirlia to attack its blind spot. That's how the psychic type managed to get its hits in all this time. When it saw an oncoming bolt of electricity, the Fearow decided to test its theory. Just as it suspected, the projectile went right through its body harmlessly. Now that it figured out the Kirlia's strategy the flying type kept a look out for the real thing. Eventually, it spotted her taking a few wary steps away from the rest of the group, realizing she had been discovered. If the Fearow could smile, now would be the time to do so. The Kirlia cowered and continued to take backward steps. The fake one in front of her tried to fake him out by charging more electricity through itself but the flying type knew better. It wouldn't be fooled again and with that, it took a nose dive toward the fleeing Kirlia with the intent to impale her. She tried to run but it was faster, catching up to her quickly and finally stabbing its long beak into her back. And she vanished as quickly as she was created. Before the Fearow could realize the gravity of its blunder, it was shot out of the sky with a vicious bolt of lightning courtesy of the Kirlia it had ignored. It fell to the ground like a rock and landed in a defeated heap.

Its body twitched in paralysis and fought to stay awake, barely able to lift a single wing when Angel stepped into its vision. Its eyes were half closed and its head was laid on the ground. As such, it was only able to make out her lower body. "Good night." It heard her say before everything went black with the sound of a thunderclap.

The Emotion Pokémon stared down at the sizzling wild pokémon with an indifferent expression. The two remaining copies of her danced around her in victory before they too vanished into nothing.

"Angel!"

Hearing her name, Angel looked behind herself to see her fast approaching friends.

"We're here to... Save... You?" Sylvia looked down at the fallen bird. "Huh."

"It's fine. I took care of it. It wasn't very smart." Angel informed.

"Guess we were late to the party. Sorry." Gallant bowed his head in apology.

"It's fine, Gallant. I don't even have a scratch on me, see?" Angel twisted her body around for him to observe.

"That's not it. You wouldn't have been taken in the first place if I didn't bring you out here. It's my fault. I'm sorry."

Angel looked at the repentant Kirlia beating himself up over the night's ordeals. She made to reassure him. "I said it's okay, Gallant. Really. I'm taking the good with the bad. Yes, the unexpected happened but thanks to you guys, I got to visit the Brilliant Meadow, practice the techniques my mom taught me and got to replace my quill collection." The shiny Kirlia smiled.

"What do you-"

Her two friends watched, flabbergasted, as Angel plucked some feathers off of the unconscious Fearow. "See? It's all good. No need to keep blaming yourself because I don't blame you. Now come on, let's go home. This night has gone on long enough and I'm starting to get hungry." She held her hand out to her male counterpart.

"Sure." Gallant accepted her hand with a relieved smile. Then he took one of Sylvia's ribbons. From there, the three friends teleported back to their home, glad their night ended on a high note.

* * *

 

Tempest Peaks - Base Forest - Night

"All right, now let it down slowly." Centrifuge instructed.

He, Carapace, Valiant and a Rhydon each carried a pole vertically that they gently lowered into small, narrow holes dug into the dirt. The poles were seven meters tall, six point five when placed into the holes. Above them lay a thick square canvas in which its four points were fastened to the top of each pole. This was what the Conkeldurr had carried with him on the mission. A set of breakable metal cylinders that could reconnected to variable lengths, max being ten meters.

"That should protect the statue from possible rain while we work." The fighting type looked at their work. Each point of the metal rods held up the canvas perfectly which lay suspended above the statue. The remaining Rhydon was already busy patching up the open cracks with freshly made cement. He was soon joined by the Rhyperior and the first Rhydon.

"You guys do good work." Valiant praised. Noting the fast progress they had made on the repairs.

"I could say the same. Having you help us clear the area of obstacles and wild pokémon has made this job pass faster than we expected." Carapace replied.

The Chesnaught observed the rock and fighting types, his surroundings completely disposed of fallen trees and fallen wild pokémon. With nothing left to do for the moment, the grass type just watched them work. Minutes passed with nary a sound but the blowing wind and the sloshing of cement in front of him. It was probably better this way, he admitted. He and his team were to keep the area uncompromised of any issues, not go around looking for fights. That would only attract more wild pokémon and a disturbance from a large scale battle could greatly interfere with the fixing process. The faster the pokémon worked, the sooner they would be done and the sooner the job would be completed.

A single drop of moisture falling on his head broke Valiant out of his absent-mindedness. He thought nothing of it. The Tempest Peaks were known for this kind of weather. The drizzle eventually progressed into a steady shower. He continued to watch the fighting and rock types work without a misstep, the canvas providing good cover against the downpour.

"You and your crew okay, Carapace?"

"The rain is fine. We are unaffected by natural water. Heck, we can even swim in it. Water only becomes a problem when it's blasted at us with enough force to shatter rock." The Rhyperior continued his duties without turning to a gaze in the grass type's direction.

Valiant nodded to himself, glad that the weather wouldn't prove to be a problem for the rock type pokémon. He sighed with boredom and crossed his arms. The rain got heavier and he looked up. The sky was obscured by dark clouds that spanned his entire field of vision. He thought about Saber and Serpentine, hoping they at least had something to occupy their time with because he sure as hell didn't.

"When do you think you'll be done?" Looks like small talk was his only remaining solace.

"If we keep going like this, we should be finished before sunrise." Carapace replied, looking back at the Spiny Armor Pokémon. "We should be glad the damage to the statue wasn't too bad and- Valiant, look out! Behind you!"

Valiant spun around and watched as a huge gust of wind tore its way toward him. He slammed his fists together and from them emerged a large, circular green shield covered with thick, protective spikes. His Spiky Shield nullified the attack and, after disabling it, took the time to see who dared attack him from the rear like a coward.

He quickly located the pokémon, hovering some inches above ground a few meters away from him. A large avian type pokémon with a deep green body. It carried itself more upright than most birds did. Each flapping wing was as wide as it was tall and had purple tips adorning its primary feathers. Its legs ended with a set of terrifying looking purple talons. Swirl-shaped structures ran up the length of its thick, purple tail which ended in a similarly swirled tip. Upon its head was a flowing cloud, acting like a mane and running down its back up to its tail. Its chest was muscular and armored with two diamond shaped purple crests positioned side by side. Its stomach was plain and had a lone, small, red jewel fused to its skin where its naval should be. The Cyclone Pokémon, Tornadus, Therian Form. It gave a mighty roar and with it, beckoned a stronger torrential downpour.

Valiant said nothing, instead choosing to glare at the legendary. The pokémon behind him kept quiet as well, not expecting the legendary pokémon to make a reappearance in a location he had already ravaged. After several tense moments of silence, Carapace spoke up.

"Valiant-"

"Just keep working and pretend we're not here." The Chesnaught cut him off. "I'll lead him away and keep him busy. Do your side of the job and I'll do mine." With both his hands, he reached underneath his shell and pulled out a few medium sized green seeds that he flung at the flying type. They soared through the air and detonated right in front of the Cyclone Pokémon's face,

Tornadus protected itself with a single wing, barely fazed by the explosion. It looked back at his foe but found the grass type to be missing, a hole in place of where he had been standing.

"Hey! Tornadass!" He called out from behind it and caught its attention. His body was halfway sticking out of the ground. "If you're as all-powerful as you think you are then have at me!" Valiant ducked back into his hole and burrowed his way away from the vicinity to a less forested area.

Tornadus gave chase. It wasn't going to back down and let some faceless pokémon get away with that statement.

The repairmon watched silence as the legendary pokémon pursued the grass type, uncertainty evident on their faces. They looked among themselves before deciding to follow the Chesnaught's advice and offer him encouragement in spirit, not knowing if he could handle the dangerous encounter.

The Cyclone Pokémon continued to follow the underground traveler, eventually coming to a stop in the air when the grass type ceased his advance. A new hole opened up in the ground and Tornadus prepared an attack for the pokémon that would emerge from it. Contrary to its expectations, the grass type did not climb out of the deep earth cavity but instead sent more Seed Bombs flying up into the air. The scattered explosives made Tornadus halt his attack and fly back to where he was more at ease. Not that they could hurt him. He wanted to make sure he was undistracted in his search for the Spiny Armor Pokémon.

The Chesnaught decided to crawl out of the earth behind his opponent but he was noticed immediately. Tornadus slammed its body down to the ground in front of Valiant and spread his wings with a mighty roar. The strong winds howled along with him.

"Okay, no one will interfere with us here." Valiant craned his head and cracked his knuckles. "I am quite curious to see just how much power you hold as a legendary pokémon. Have at you, knave."

Tornadus ignored the insult and beat its wings forward, whipping up an incredible cyclone. The attack decimated the few trees around them as well as the small plants on the surface around the grass type. Valiant slammed his fist together and performed Spiky Shield while bending at the knees to keep himself rooted and balanced as the Hurricane laid waste to the terrain around him. A tree to his side toppled over with multiple cuts in its trunk and its branches severed. The Chesnaught stood strong, however. His shield and weight keeping him from being buffeted by the flying type's powerful attack. His feet dug into the ground and he charged at his opponent with a warcry.

Tornadus was faster and took flight as soon as he saw this. He kept himself aloft and watched the Chesnaught miss his mark. But Valiant wasn't finished. He aimed his Spiky Shield upwards and fired the sharps spines like canons at his foe. Tornadus wasn't prepared for this but that wasn't a problem as it used its vastly superior speed to move out the way in time. Valiant kept at it, aiming his shield at the fast moving aerial pokémon and fired spike after spike of his Pin Missile at him. With every evaded move, Tornadus got more confident in his speed which made the next action catch it off guard as the Chesnaught fired ahead of him rather than directly at him. Flying at high speed, he couldn't change his directional pattern in time and made to shield his face with a raised wing which took the blow, his flesh getting skewered in the process. With one damaged wing the legendary pokémon failed to stay balanced in the air and performed an impromptu landing maneuver, steering to the best of his ability in the direction of a tall hardwood, digging his talons into the trunk to halt his speed and then jumping safely down to the ground.

Valiant watched, shield still raised, as Tornadus bit down on the spike embedded in his wing and pulled it out then spat it to the floor. It left a gaping wound in its flesh. Very slowly, the wound closed, the Cyclone Pokémon's Regenerator ability kicking in. Tornadus did not wait for his injury to fully heal and ran at the Chesnaught, being only half as fast on the ground as he was in the air. Valiant raised his shield and fired the last few spikes the oncoming foe but Tornadus dodged them with zero effort, the projectiles whizzing harmlessly passed his head. The flying type then leaped up and came bearing down talons-first at the Chesnaught. Said pokémon deactivated his shield and raised his arms to catch the avian's feet in his hands. His muscles bulged with exertion and he struggled to keep his foe at bay but it was becoming increasingly difficult by the second. With a desperate shout, Valiant swung the Cyclone Pokémon around and back into the air but Tornadus recovered mid-flight, his wing now healed. The flying type smirked coldly and threw down a thin, crescent-shaped air current at his target.

Valiant watched the Air Slash's advance with a strained expression. His body was starting to show signs of fatigue but he pressed on. He reached into his shell again and tossed out more explosive seeds at the flying type's attack. The detonations cancelled out the projectile but another one quickly replaced it and he sent out more seeds to intercept that one as well. A third Air Slash blew away the smoke and whipped through the space between them but he, unfortunately, wasn't able to intercept this one fast enough, instead raising his arms in a defensive posture as an emergency countermeasure. The Chesnaught gave a grunt of pain, the Air Slash making deep cuts in his skin. His hide was very tough but it still wasn't able to tank as much as it could, having a double weakness to the flying type. Fresh blood dripped from his lacerations but he managed to protect his vitals. Tornadus looked down upon him with a cold gaze and motioned to attack him again and hopefully end the grass type once and for all..

Tornadus pulled his wings back and Valiant held his defensive stance but before Tornadus could launch his assault, a translucent wave of energy was blasted into his side with enough force to knock him out of the air. The Chesnaught faced the direction where the attack had come from and was relieved to see Serpentine slithering her way to him.

"Hogging all the fun? That's ssssoooo unlike you, Valiant." She commented with a distinct feminine accent as she took her place next to him.

"What can I say? I doubt he would have waited for all of us to regroup." Valiant panted. "Your save was much appreciated, thank you."

"A lady has to know how to make an appearance." Serpentine watched Tornadus get back up and glare at the two of them. Her Hidden Power Ice did a number on him but he was still battle capable. "What say we show this brute some mannersss, hm?"

With a rekindled confidence, Valiant faced the wounded legendary. "Then lead us in this dance, milady."

"Gladly!" Serpentine hissed and straight up fired a powerful Leaf Storm at the legendary, the intense blast of green energy and cutting leaves surging its way at their foe.

Tornadus took to the sky and avoided the blast, not taking any chances with such a powerful attack. From his vantage point, the flying type sent forth from his wings a wide, vertical funnel cloud that twisted its way toward the two grass types, hoping to engulf and shred them both at the same time. Serpentine responded by charging up with a green glow and firing another Leaf Storm to combat the Cyclone Pokémon's Hurricane. Here's where her Contrary ability came into play. Usually, when a debilitating move like Leaf Storm is used, it would quickly exhaust the user and discourage them from spamming the same move but Contrary made the opposite happen. Instead of being weakened, the Regal Pokémon was actually empowered by moves that would otherwise lower the performance of most pokémon, hence the name 'Contrary.' Because of this, her Leaf Storm ended up being stronger than the last with greater power and wider range. Tornadus was not expecting this at all. What should have been a disadvantageous move ended up swallowing his Hurricane and continued unhampered toward him. He used his speed to fly higher still, just barely avoiding the attack and flew back down with his sharp talons heading for the bigger threat of the two.

Serpentine coiled up in preparation as Tornadus got ever so closer. Just as he slammed into the ground, the Serperior slithered elusively around his legs, her body tough enough to not mind the rocks tossed up her opponent's weight. She slithered up his body starting from his left leg, to the right side of his waist and finally coiling around his neck. The flying type struggled, his air supply being sapped away as it endured being squeezed between Serpentine's ouroboros. Grunting in annoyance, Tornadus opened his mouth wide and blasted a sickening wave of dark energy from within that engulfed her. Serpentine cried out in pain but willed her body to cope with the attack, holding firm, squeezing down harder with every passing second. Tornadus readied another Dark Pulse but was suddenly tackled by something really heavy straight at his exposed torso. Serpentine detached herself from her foe and watched him fly back and land painfully on the ground, his body kicking up dirt and rocks.

Tornadus started getting back up and he saw the Chesnaught charging at him to keep the onslaught going. Tornadus roared and fired an Air Slash with an outward swing of a single wing. Valiant put his arms together and created another Spiky Shield without missing a beat, rushing down the legendary pokémon with all he had. Tornadus protected himself with his left wing and the grass type rammed the hazardous end of his shield into it. Multiple spikes pierced into the avian's appendage and it winced in pain as blood oozed onto the weaponized shield. Glaring down at the Chesnaught, Tornadus pulled his damaged wing upwards and shook himself free of the briars. This action imbalanced Valiant a little and the Cyclone Pokémon wasted no time in taking advantage of that. Using his left leg, he kicked up at the grass type's raised shield, knocking it out of his arms and then brought his talons down on Valiant's chest, slamming him into the ground and keeping him pinned down. The flying type added more pressure against Valiant, digging into his midsection and drawing blood from the punctured skin. The grass type fought against him, holding onto Tornadus' leg in order to ease the weight but it barely helped. Just as things started to look bad, Serpentine came to his aid and closed distance between herself and the flying type keeping him held down.

Tornadus watched her and conjured up multiple crescent blades of wind with his uninjured wing. Serpentine, however, was quicker than the damaging air currents, zigzagging around them and swinging her tail in a wide arc, expelling her own crescent aura of Hidden Power Ice. Thanks to the earlier boosts granted by her Contrary ability, this one was stronger than ever before. His left wing still recovering, Tornadus sent another vacuum bullet at the oncoming attack and they collided against each other, cancelling each other out in an explosive distortion of energy. From that distortion emerged Serpentine, her tail extended with a glowing green blade that she swung at the flying type's belly. Tornadus deliberately took the hit and in doing so gave himself the opportunity to retaliate which he did by whipping her down with an overhead strike of his pinion. With the Regal Pokémon knocked to the ground, Tornadus chose to dispatch her with an Air Slash but Valiant wasn't having it. Barely conscious but still willing to fight, he reared his fist back and drove it right into the Cyclone Pokémon's knee with all he had. Tornadus howled in agony as the pokémon underneath him dislocated his joint with a sickening crunch of bone and immediately raised his leg off him. Serpentine recovered and used her chance to spit up a green fluid from her mouth at the inconvenienced legendary. Tornadus was doused in the liquid but it ha no immediate effects. He glared at the two. Valiant held his chest with one arm with an equal glare in his eyes and Serpentine held up her tail with a glowing Leaf Blade extending from the tip.

Tornadus did nothing for the moment, opting to buy himself time for his wounds to recover. Only... They didn't. At all. The Cyclone Pokémon looked at his body in confusion. His leg still ached dearly. The slash and stab wounds on his stomach and left wing stopped with their recovery process. That's when it dawned on him. Serpentine's earlier action was not an attack but a status move. She used Gastro Acid on him and his Regenerator ability was effectively disabled. Slowly, he raised his head, blood boiling in his eyes. How dare they. How dare they!

Tornadus roared his fury and blasted wave after wave of Air Slashes with both his wings, powering through his pain to desperately kill the two grass types. Some of them missed their mark, coursing in the wrong direction and cutting down parts of the surrounding environment. Others were more successful in their aim but Valiant protected himself with his Spiky Shield while Serpentine used Leaf Blade against the projectiles, each of her parries accompanied by an audible slashing sound. Tornadus didn't let up, continuing to blow out volleys of incredibly sharp air waves.

Then, too quick for him to see, a vertical green line passed down his vision. Slowly, he looked down and noticed a Sceptile in a crouching position leering up at him, the leaves on his arm glowing green and were coated with blood. His blood. After a delay, his chest sprayed out a small burst of blood from the wound carved into his body starting at his collarbone and ending at his jewel-encrusted naval. The fresh blood coated parts of the Sceptile's upper body but he didn't care. In fact, his eyes looked like they demanded more. Tornadus glared in defiant fury at the new threat but Saber wasn't fazed one bit. With his good leg, Tornadus raised and brought down his sharp talons upon the third grass type to join the battle. Saber reacted flawlessly with an almost vertical roundhouse kick against the raised foot, throwing it off mark and used the momentum of that attack to flow into his next, crouching low and striking out with an extended leg that swept Tornadus' other foot out from under him.

Tornadus lost all balance, fell onto his front and he blinked in surprise. He was losing. He, the Cyclone Pokémon was losing! To grass types! He saw the Sceptile jump into the air, blades on his arms reared back and glowing. The Cyclone Pokémon rolled to the side and avoided the hit which left a deep gash against the surface where he had been. Tornadus swung his wing upward just as he got up and nailed Saber in his side. The grass type's body was sent flying but he recovered by digging his claws into the bark of a tree he passed by. Tornadus saw this and, instead of going for the obvious, used Extrasensory.

Saber's eyes lit up in alarm as he felt his body pinned against the tree by some kind of horizontal gravitational force. He struggled to keep breathing, feeling the air getting forced out of his lungs. Tornadus grinned cruelly but his concentration was broken by Seed Bombs going off right by his face. That small window of hesitation was all Saber needed to get back on track, jettisoning himself at his foe and slicing open a new injury in his opponent's exposed side. Tornadus grunted in pain and tried to bludgeon the grass type with his wing but he was already gone, showing up on his other side and using Leaf Blade to carve a new streak of red in his skin. With a frustrated bellow, the Cyclone Pokémon opened the entire span of both his wings and conjured up strong winds that shook the trees around them and forced Saber away from him.

Saber landed on his feet but he wasn't in good shape, cuts criss-crossing all over his body. He was fast and could do quite a bit of damage but his body wasn't built for this kind of abuse. Seeing this, Tornadus collected a bundle of dark energy within his mouth and aimed it at the Forest Pokémon. Its plans were foiled, however, when two vines wrapped around his neck and pulled his head backwards, forcing him to expel the Dark Pulse wastefully above him. He looked back and saw Serpentine holding onto him with vines coming out of her 'high collar.' Still having enough strength in him, he thrust his head forward, pulling her towards him before tossing his head back and smashing it into hers in a reverse head-butt. Free from his constraints, Tornadus reached back and bit down on the suspended grass type, shook her around a little for good measure before tossing her at some nearby rocks. She cruised through the air, unable to halt herself and closed her eyes as she braced for impact but fortune came to her in the form of Valiant intercepting her by diving at her and catching her in his arms, twisting in the air just right so that he took the brunt of the damage when they hit the ground. They looked at each other then up at Tornadus whose attention was being held by Saber. Getting up, the two partners rejoined the battle to offer support to their comrade.

Saber ducked down underneath a Crunch but before he could counter-attack, he was kicked by the flying type, getting knocked away but recovering in a series of back flips and got right back in like nothing happened, leaping from point A to point B as a green blur. Just as he got close to his foe, Tornadus whipped his tail out at him and Saber simply performed a somersault over it. From behind him, the Forest Pokémon opened his palms and used Giga Drain, the sucking green aura stealing the dwindling stamina from the legendary to add to his own. Panting but still undefeated, Tornadus made to batter the grass type with a wing but halted when the ground underneath them rumbled violently before gigantic roots erupted from the soil to bind him. Frenzy Plant, courtesy of Serpentine.

Legs, chest, neck, wings, Tornadus was utterly restrained and could do nothing to prevent Saber from draining his energy reserves. This wasn't supposed to happen. He was a legendary. To have nameless pokémon hold an advantage over him... The idea was unfathomable but it was happening. As he struggled to free himself, he felt a spike of energy ahead of him. Looking up, he saw the Chesnaught glowing with a whitish-gold aura, hunched over in preparation of his attack.

He roared defiantly in the face of his opponent and ejected a thick cloud of dark energy from his mouth, it was his last line of defense. Being part fighting type, Valiant barely felt the Dark Pulse expelled against him, continuing to power himself up, reaching the apex of his charge and shooting straight like a cannon, wrecking the ground at his starting point and tossing up dirt as he went. Saber retreated from behind him as Tornadus' eyes widened with every second the Chesnaught drew closer until the supercharged grass type slammed into him with a devastating Giga Impact. The Cyclone Pokémon's pupils shrunk to pinpricks as he was thrust into a world of pain. His bones and muscles cried out in agony and the force of the blow demolished the roots that held him steady, sending him flying a great many meters through the air and land roughly on the ground, rocking about a few more meters before finally skidding to a stop, defeated and unconscious.

The three victorious grass types were barely standing, themselves. Tornadus was body checked too far back for them to see properly but as he lay unmoving, they knew he was down for the count but some commotion caught their eyes. They were barely able to make it out, what with it being night and in the rain but it appeared Tornadus was being hefted onto the shoulder of a legless muscular pokémon with a large tail, they didn't know who or what. They could have sworn the unknown entity gazed briefly in their direction before taking off with the fallen legendary pokémon. The grass types tiredly looked among themselves hoping to find some kind of answers in each other's eyes.

"What might you think that was about?" Valiant asked. He was crouched down to recover the lost energy he used up with his final attack.

"I don't know... But I don't think it's something we should be worried about... For now at least." Saber spoke.

"Indeed. If it were a threat, it would have used this opportunity to attack and would have made an easy win out of us for sure~tsss." Serpentine commented.

"We'll leave it at that then... If it's not a threat then it is none of our concern. For now at the very least." Valiant stated. "But here's to hoping it is not an ally of Tornadus that would help him cause more trouble than he and Thundurus already have. That would be bad for business."

"Yes, well hopefully after tonight Tornadus will have enough sense of mind to learn not to trifle with whomever he wants... If and when he wakes up."

"If and when..?" Serpentine echoed.

"Hey... I don't know if Valiant killed him." Saber stood up and prepared to return to the statue and check on the working pokémon. "But honestly? He'd be doing the world a favor if he did."

Valiant shook his head with a smile and tried to get up and follow the cynical Sceptile back to the mountain base, still holding his sore chest but stumbled, only getting back up when Serpentine offered him support with her vines. Good thing there was a treatment bag waiting for them or his and his team mates' injuries could have been a serious problem.

"I highly doubt it. He's a legendary, if you may recall."

"I didn't hear the word 'immortal' in your sentence so that doesn't matter to me. A pokémon, even if worshipped as a deity, is still a pokémon and I'm glad he got the beating he deserved." Saber climbed up one of the few standing trees and looked down at his teammates. "I'm making one last scan around the perimeter. Can't be too safe. See you in an hour or so." He tossed a long, thin blade of grass in his mouth to chew on and he was gone in an instant.

This left the Chesnaught and Serperior traveling side by side to the thicker parts of the woods. Their battle was done and with Tornadus' defeat, the rain settled down to a more tolerable drizzle. Since Saber volunteered himself to keep watch, Valiant and Serpentine were forced to find alternative ways to kill time.

"20 questions?"

"Sure."

* * *

 

Spectral Forest - Dead in the Night

That last hostile ghost pokémon shrieked in its demise and condensed into a pale black mist. The Gengar that fired the Shadow Ball lowered his arm and sighed. Though, it looked odd with that huge slasher grin. He looked at his partner next to him, a Gourgeist. She showed visible damage and fatigue from their prolonged battle with the wild ghost pokémon that attempted for the umpteenth time to enter the Ghost Realm. She looked at him with tired eyes.

"Things can't keep going like this, Scourge." She spoke.

"It's all we can do for now, Wiccan... It all falls on you, me and the remaining members of our realm to protect our home. After all, we don't have our Lord Giratina to protect us. We haven't for quite a while." The Gengar replied.

Wiccan looked down and hid her features. "It's not fair. How long can we keep doing this? Will we one day wake up and find our realm overrun and no longer habitable? What will become of us?"

"We can pull through, Wiccan. The Poison Realm has no Lord protecting them either but they're able to get by."

"Then why don't you go live with the poison types if it's so great there!" Wiccan did a 180 in disgust and proceeded bitterly down the path to her home without her partner.

Scourge sighed and followed after her. He felt her pain. He really did. He was just trying to keep her spirit uplifted. They shared the struggle with the rest of their home but their situation would only get worse if they gave into despair. She was right. They had to do something before they were faced with a dire situation they could do nothing about... Such was the life of the Ghost Realm; there was none.

* * *

 

END CHAPTER

Please R&R. Your thoughts really matter.

 


	9. Chapter 9: Aspirations

Fighting Realm - Just Before Sunrise

A caravan loaded with supplies and equipment lay positioned in front of the Fighting Realm's currently closed main gates. Gates that were flanked by a pair of Hariyama on standby, waiting for the word to allow the exit of the small group of pokémon that would be leaving on an early expedition.

Standing by the caravan was a Lucario who held his head low with his arms folded and a Gallade that had a hand on his hip and was gazing upwards. His unique blue and white coloration made him stand out from the rest of his kind. Both of them were waiting for their remaining two partners before they could begin their early morning mission.

The Gallade lowered his head and looked at the gate; a massive fifteen meter high structure of wood and steel composed of two doors with large, circular handles which could only be manipulated by pokémon possessing great strength. Extending from either side of the gates were equally as tall wooden pillars one meter thick and sharpened to a fine tip, embedded firmly into the ground and spanning a great amount of acres around the entire Fighting Realm. Barbed wire coiled about the tips of the pillars as a means of defense as well as a warning against intruders. Not that any would be suicidal enough to breach the territory of a settlement composed of pokémon that could throw a punch with the devastating force of an earthquake.

The Gallade continued to stare absentmindedly, thinking about just how long it had been since he became a part of the Fighting Realm and wondering how his family back in the Fairy Realm were doing. The land of the fairy types is, will be and always has been his first home. It all started out with him leaving his realm for the first time and finding work in the Pokémon Settlement as a mediator to help with the trade between the Fairy and Fighting Realms. He would offer them rare plants and berries that were of great benefit and performance enhancers in exchange for their training equipment that continues to see use in the Fairy Realm's Training Hold to this day. Months of this mutually beneficial partnership eventually lead to an invitation to the land of the fighting types; He was offered the green flag to come and go in and out of the Fighting Realm as he pleased. An honorary member of the land of the fighting types, so to speak. It made handling the heavy lifting and occasional fighting on their side not as strenuous when he was closer to his 'second home.' However, this also meant time less spent from his family. He hadn't seen them for six months now and could only communicate with them through the letters they sent each other from time to time.

"Shard for your thoughts?" The Lucario said, noticing his partner's far away expression.

"Thinking of home." The Blade Pokémon replied, not taking his eyes of the gate.

The Lucario tilted his head and looked at his fellow fighting type, not sure how to respond. He had never been away from his own home for an extended period of time before, so he couldn't share the Gallade's sentiment. Still, it would be rude to address him and remain silent about the matter he brought up. As such, he decided to keep the conversation going.

"What's it like? The Fairy Realm, I mean?"

"It's... Pretty amazing." The Gallade gave a small smile as he recalled the Fairy Realm's beauty. "It's a distant land, really out of the way, surrounded by vibrant forest. Different colors, shapes and sizes. Because of the Florges that live there, we're able to grow any and all kinds of plant life. But of course, you already know that. The pokémon that live there are all reclusive but friendly. We have our own system that's mostly independent of the Pokémon Settlement. Our master legendary, Lord Xerneas, is the reason we've been able to flourish for so long." The Blade Pokémon turned to the part steel type. "I would like to show you one of these days. You'll want to see it with your own eyes."

The Aura Pokémon chuckled and leaned against the caravan. "I'll hold you on to that offer then."

"I'm surprised it took you this long to ask about it."

"That's because it took you this long to call attention to it. I'm not a prying pokémon."

"'Shard for your thoughts' kinda sounds like prying to me." The Gallade smirked.

"Heh. In my defense, it's hard to ignore such a focused expression. Your aura was giving off a pretty intense vibe too."

The Gallade turned his attention back to the gate. "I guess between me being sensitive to emotions and you being able to read auras, we really can't hide anything from each other."

The two fighting types continued to chat with each other as the sun inched ever so slightly above the horizon, tinting the sky with an orange glow. It was then that the final two members of their crew had finally joined up to meet them. A Machamp with a bag almost as large as he was hefted over his shoulder and a Hitmontop that brought up the rear.

"Well, good morning... It's about time the two of you joined us." The Lucario addressed them.

"Chill out, Beowulf." The Machamp replied, yawning and gestured to his bag. "I had to sort through all this mail when I woke up hours before either of you. I'm bushed."

"Yes, yes. I just hope your fatigue won't hold you back during our trip to the Pokémon Settlement." The Aura Pokémon replied.

The Machamp just grinned at that while the Hitmontop chose to remain silent. "You know I'm never too tired to knock out a fool. I always have the strength to spare. Besides, this mail won't deliver itself."

"Excellent. Since we're all here, I gather everyone is ready?" The Gallade asked.

The other three present fighting types nodded their heads in the affirmative. The Blade Pokémon nodded back. "Alright. Let's be off then. These supplies need to be in the settlement before the end of tomorrow as per our buyer's request. Let's move out." The Gallade turned to the gate but was halted by the four-armed pokémon.

"Oh, Knight, hold on a second." The Machamp pulled out an envelope from a side pocket of his mail bag and handed it over to the psychic type. "Lest I forget, this came in for you last night."

"Hm? For me?" The Gallade, identified as Knight, accepted the small envelope. Inspecting the front, he found that it was a letter addressed to him from his mate and daughter, Sana and Angel. He felt a small pang of happiness just looking at their names on the front. Quickly, he opened it and began to read.

'Dear, Knight/Daddy!

Hope you're doing and feeling well. Things here have been much the same since you left. We really hope things are more interesting on your end. Angel's doing great. Still the little Book-Wurmple. She's actually helping me write this letter. Look, she even decorated the paper with little drawings of flowers and stuff. She's a fast learner too. I can't wait for you to see how much better our daughter has become at using her power. She's having a bit of trouble with Future Sight but who didn't, right? Haha! You should see her face right now. Her pouting face is the cutest thing ever. She's getting along well with friends as usual. Business is fine as always. What we really want is to hear from you soon. We really miss you, you know? Please write back when you get this, my beloved. We're waiting for you.

XOXO, Sana & Angel.

P.S. Angel says to bring her back something. Our daughter's so spoiled, fufu...'

By the time he was done reading, Knight had a smile on his face so wide, it threatened to split his face in half. He couldn't contain his joy from hearing from his family and knowing how great they were doing. It made him feel both happy and relieved. Yes, he would definitely write back as soon as his errand was done.

"Hey, Knight! You finished? We got work to do." Beowulf called out.

Knight looked ahead and noticed that his peers were situated just outside the gate that had been swung open by the stationed Hariyama. His team looked at him expectantly but not impatiently. The Machamp had dropped his mail bag onto the wheeled caravan with the rest of the cargo and was lifting the handles mounted on the front of it with the barest minimum of effort despite its size and added weight.

"Yes. Sorry for the hold up." Knight placed the letter in his travelling bag and rushed to join his comrades, smiling all the while.

Now fully prepared, the members of the Fighting Realm started down the marked path towards their destination.

* * *

 

Undisclosed Location

His body ached all over, feeling like he had run a marathon before getting hit by a pile of bricks. His muscles cried out to him not to make any quick movements that would just make the pain worse. How long had he been out? He could feel the warm sunlight against his face but he didn't open his eyes, instead focusing on resting his abused body. That fight really took a turn for the unexpected, ending with him being bested by the three grass type pokémon he fought against. He clenched his fist. Even his pride was wounded and, unlike his body, that couldn't be recovered. He would forever be remembered as the Legendary Pokémon that lost to some standard pokémon he had a type advantage over. It was ludicrous. Scowling, he recalled the night time raging battle. He could remember how... Wait... Clenched his fist?

Slowly, his eyes opened, taking some time to adjust to the morning sun. Wincing a little, he raised his arm and looked at it. His suspicions were confirmed. He was back in his Incarnate Form. He could not feel his legs either, as he had none. His lower body had reverted back to being a single cloud with his purple tail extending out from it. On the flip side, this also meant he no longer had a broken leg. His eyes properly focused, Tornadus looked around. He appeared to be on an elevated cliff-side of a mountain range. The sun had risen ahead of him and over the land below, giving him quite the view. The legendary pokémon supported himself upright with his arms behind him and grunted from the exertion before proceeding to float his body above the cliff surface. He looked down at his body and was surprised to find that it had been treated. Though his body still ached, his wounds were cleaned up and covered in a few bandages. Did someone do this for him? He could only wonder...

"Feeling better?"

Tornadus immediately twisted around and whipped his tail out, firing a defensive Air Slash from it at the potential threat that snuck up on him. The attack hit home but did nothing to hamper its target. Slowly, it emerged from the settling dust. Once in full view, illuminated by the sunlight, Tornadus recognized him immediately. His body type was exactly the same as his own. A muscular upper body that sat upon a cloud that made up his lower body. The major difference between them was the color of their bodies. Where Tornadus' was majorly colored green, the body of the pokémon he was facing was orange with smaller patches of dark pink here and there on his skin with a teardrop shaped patch over his naval. On his chest were a pair of dark pink conjoined diamond shapes that formed some kind of makeshift armor, much like his own. Where Tornadus' head protrusion was shaped like a wisp of cloudy substance, his counterpart's was shaped like a log situated horizontally at the back of his head. He had a jagged moustache on his face, three small dark pink horns coming out of his forehead and his face was framed by two pointed ears. His tail resembled a tree's root and had flat protrusions lining across its length. Yellow eyes stared back at him in a commanding manner. Sweat formed on the side of Tornadus' face as he stared down the Abundance Pokémon: Landorus.

"Are you finished?" The ground-flying type dusted himself off, unfazed by the attack from the injured pokémon.

Tornadus continued to glare defiantly at Landorus but didn't push his luck beyond that. Landorus wasn't exactly his or Thundurus' master but he was the strongest and most intimidating of their trio. If he tried hard, he could put up a reasonable fight but ultimately would be unable to handle the ground type's overwhelming force. He sighed and rubbed one of his arms that throbbed in pain.

"You treated me?" He finally spoke.

"I did."

Tornadus looked down at himself then back up at Landorus. A word of gratitude never even crossed his mind. "What happened to my Therian Form?"

"Hm? You forgot? Well, I can't say I'm surprised. You were in such terrible shape that I was barely able to get you to look into the Reveal Glass." The ground type legendary reached into his cloud and pulled out a stylish circular mirror with a cloud-patterned frame. He held it so that the reflective surface was facing behind him and not at Tornadus. "A small gaze was thankfully enough to get you to revert."

"So that's how it happened..." The Cyclone Pokémon muttered. He watched as Landorus placed the Reveal Glass back into his cloud and made a frustrated grunt. "Tch. I still do not understand why you insist on not using it to draw out your latent strength like we did. Why do you hold back?"

"At least one of us has to be responsible with how we use our power."

"Spare me. To hold back on that power... How can you even call yourself a lege-"

"Cut the crap, Tornadus." Landorus interrupted and caught the flying type's undivided attention with his harsh tone. "The Reveal Glass is a special tool that should only be used to grant us an advantage in battles, not to go on some power high-induced rampage. The behavior of Thundurus and yourself has been disgraceful to say the least. What were you thinking? How are we to govern the lands if the pokémon we are trying to protect become convinced that this is how we behave? They will look down on us, call us worthless. We risk losing their aid, their alliance. Their loyalty. We can not afford that kind of imbalance between our dynamic. They are pokémon, just as we are and your battered state is proof of what happens when they get pushed too far. We have to respect them or they will not respect us." Landorus closed his eyes and sighed. "While the two you are mostly at fault, I can't say I hold you entirely responsible."

"What is that supposed to mean?" Tornadus addressed the Abundance Pokémon with a slightly more respectful tone.

"I'm referring to the side effect of our Therian Forms. You noticed it too, did you not? It empowers us but also gives way to our baser, bestial instincts. The heightened desire to hunt, battle and dominate. I was able to resist it long enough to look back into the Reveal Glass... But you and Thundurus are already needlessly violent to begin with. You stood no chance against the temptation and went off on your 'merry way'. So until we can properly handle the changes, our Therian Forms are benched."

"..." Tornadus didn't know what to say to that. Well, he did but he was looking for a way to say it that didn't offend his fellow legendary. "It does not bother me, regardless."

"I would imagine so." Landorus narrowed his eyes at the Cyclone Pokémon. "Where is Thundurus now? The two of you were together during your little stunt in the Tempest Peaks."

"I do not know. We went our separate ways after that."

"Then you will help me look for him." Landorus tossed Tornadus a sitrus berry and he caught it on reflex. "Not right now, of course. You aren't of any use to anyone with those injuries. So rest well. I will start searching on my own for the time being, however, I expect you to do your part in helping me fix this situation as soon as you're back in top form." Landorus floated towards the sky but gave one last look at the flying type legendary. "And, Tornadus..."

Tornadus flinched and felt his muscles tense under that powerful gaze.

"...Do not disappoint me again." With that last warning, the Abundance Pokémon took off.

A few seconds passed before Tornadus finally took a bite out of the offered sitrus berry. Not that he was willing to take orders from other pokémon but Landorus' word was final. He had no say on the matter, that much was made clear. He had dug himself deep with his actions and if he wanted any measure of his freedom and dignity back, he would have to do as he was told for now. The sitrus berry barely did a thing to help him swallow the bitter taste of defeat.

* * *

 

Psychic Realm - Eon Chamber

The living quarters of the Eon Pokémon wasn't much different from Cresselia's in terms of design. A tall cylindrical room with a domed ceiling held up by strong ornate pillars. The centre of the ceiling was made of glass so that starlight would filter in during the night and sunlight during the day. In the centre of the room were two lovely beds upon which lay Latios and Latias, engaged in a discussion.

"Okay, one more time. You spoke with Darkrai but he wasn't doing anything?"

"Yeah."

"Then you said he could spend his time in the Spirit Peaks as he pleased?"

Latias gave a hesitant nod.

"Yeah, okay, we'll get back to that... Then Thundurus, of all pokémon, showed up and Darkrai fought with him on your behalf?"

"Kicked his electric butt too." Latias emphasized.

"Explains the sudden rain." Latios said offhandedly. "And then what happened after that?"

"I... Don't know. I remember towards the end, Darkrai used this moved where he sent out these weird dark bubbles all over the place like 'woooosh!'" Latios rolled his eyes as he waited for his sister to continue. "One of them hit me and I blacked out."

"That's when I found you..." Latios recalled.

"And you apparently overreacted."

"You were unconscious in his clutches." Latias' brother reminded her. "It made my blood boil. How did you expect me to react?"

"Well, I don't know what to say about that. I'm happy you care that much about me but I doubt-"

"I care about you more than anything." Latios stressed.

"Aww, thanks!" The female Eon Pokémon blushed cutely. "Anyway, I doubt he meant any harm considering our chat and his battle."

"What did you two even talk about?" The psychic dragon lifted his pinkie. "You said you wouldn't engage him without informing me."

"Look, I wasn't thinking straight, alright? I'm sorry." She frowned in apology. "I mean, I didn't expect to run into him so soon after we split up. I panicked. He looked and sounded really scary. I didn't want to risk provoking him. So I talked to him instead."

"Mm-hm. What did he say?"

"Um... He said he was regretful for what his powers did. He was in the Spirit Peaks because, thanks to Lady Cresselia, it was the only place safe from his ability. He mentioned how our territory was the only place he could roam freely without bringing harm to other pokémon. He wasn't trying start a conflict. He said he was only there a little while to escape his isolation, that's all. That's why I said it was fine. It's only fair, right?"

"Not to Lady Cresselia."

"Latios-"

"I understand, Latias. Your heart was in the right place as always. I can appreciate that. But his powers mean Lady Cresselia has to work double time and exhaust herself. You know we both don't like seeing her like that."

"I don't like seeing any pokémon suffer, either. What would you have me do, Latios?"

Latios settled on a softer expression. He should at least be thankful that the situation was defused without either of them getting hurt. He never got to see the lighter side of the Pitch Black Pokémon but Latias did and he trusted her more than anyone else. If she said this was the best case scenario, he was inclined to believe her. Besides, if Darkrai was as bad as his reputation implied, he could have done a lot worse to him and his sister. He was stronger than they were, after all. Instead, he had protected her and then proceeded to carry them both back to their home, risking making himself an enemy to whoever saw him in or even near the Psychic Realm. Continuing to condemn him after everything he learned would be irrational. He sighed in resignation.

"Nothing. You did great, Sis. You handled the situation better than I could. I'm proud of you." Latios looked at his fellow Eon Pokémon with a smile then blinked in shock. She had moist eyes and a wore wide smile on her face.

"Latios!" She jumped from her bed to his own and squeezed him in a tight hug.

"Ah! Latias! We're gonna fall!" And fall they did, off his bed and onto the marble floor. He sighed again but happily hugged her back. "Finished?"

"Nope!" Latias nuzzed her face against his. A few more seconds past before she decided to let him go. "Now I'm finished."

"No kidding." The male dragon type laughed, still on the floor. "I wonder where Darkrai flew off to, though. He never left the Spirit Peaks, did he? His powers could end up hurting other pokémon if he ended up anywhere not protected by Lady Cresselia's Lunar Wings." Latios played with his own wrapped around his neck.

"That's one thing we don't know, unfortunately. I said it was cool for him to stay in the Spirit Peaks but that night just ended up being one big mess." Latias poked at her Lunar Wing. "It's beyond our control. I just hope all sides of this whole ordeal will turn out fine."

"Always the optimist. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"You'd be a pretty deadly killing machine when unrestrained. I've seen your Draco Meteor plenty of times."

"Oh come on, I at least practice some restraint. I ain't no Gyarados." He raised himself off the floor. "So we've agreed on what we'll report back to Lady Cresselia?"

"When she wakes up, yeah. For now she should get her rest, Arceus knows she deserves it." Latias crawled back onto her bed. "What do we do until then?"

"We can meditate?" Latios offered.

"I'm already 'meditating.'" The female psychic dragon closed her eyes and slumped down on the comfortable matress in a lazy fashion.

"Right." Latios rolled his eyes at his sister yet again before closing them, levitating above the bed and carefully focusing his psychic power throughout his body. As he meditated, he could only wonder what had become of the fourth legendary of the other night's events. He was defeated by Darkrai but what happened after that? Was he still incapacitated? Did he awaken and flee? Or is he still out there, ready to pick up where he left off? Whatever the reason, he supposed he could only deal with that problem when it arose. It was all they could do for the moment. If Thundurus or any kind of impulsive scumbag attacked his home again, they would most definitely see the 'killing machine' side of him.

* * *

 

Fairy Realm

Two fairy types walked down a grassy path on their way towards their usual meeting spot. One of them held a paper box full of freshly baked poképuffs in his arms, soon to be shared between himself and his friends. They walked without saying a word to each other, as neither of them had much to offer in the way of small talk. The uncomfortable silence was starting to get to Gallant, though. Enough that he just had to break it.

"Say..."

"Yeah?"

"Where's Sylvia? Wasn't she with you earlier?"

"She remained behind because she wanted to finish her book."

"She reads books now?"

"Just this one romance novel called 'Sunset.' It doesn't look like she's enjoying it but she can't stop reading it, either."

"Hmmm... Our Sylvia's a strange one."

Angel stifled a giggle.

"What about you? Reading anything interesting lately?"

The female Emotion Pokémon looked down at her book bag. "Not particularly. I wanted to ask Miss Jubilee if she could order something new for me but she left extra early for her rounds and will only be back this evening. Said it was something important."

"Oh? What were you gonna get?" Gallant looked at her inquisitively.

"A... Um... A Battle Item Catalogue like the one you used. I would have asked to borrow it but I want one of my own. I'm sure it'll help with my training." Angel replied, scratching her cheek.

"Oooooohhh?" Gallant leaned towards her with a smirk. "Developed an interest after your first taste of a real battle? Giving yourself wider options on how to serve your opponent, hm?"

"Nothing like that. I just want one for practical reasons is all." She looked away.

Gallant frowned at her flat tone. "That's it?"

"That's it." She insisted.

"Hmmmm?" Gallant stared at her a little while longer before walking past her, turning off the path and into the small forested area.

"What?"

"Nothing." The male Kirlia turned to face her with a smile and walked backwards, inspecting her carefully.

"What, Gallant?" Angel frowned accusingly at him.

"Nothing."

"Got something to say?"

"No but I'm sure you do."

"What are you-"

"It was great, wasn't it?"

Angel faced away from him like she was hiding something. "I don't know what you mean."

"Come on, I've noticed it for a while now. You can't hide your feelings from me, Angel. I can feel it in my horns and I want to hear you say it properly." Gallant used his psychic power to levitate the box of poképuffs above his head and grabbed Angel's arm.

"Kyah! Gallant!" The male Kirlia proceeded to spin and dance around with her as his kind were prone to doing when overjoyed. The emotional feedback from him caused her mood to lighten up enough to follow him along in his ballet routine, twirling with him as their feet masterfully stepped to and fro, unable to resist.

"You gotta be more honest about about how you feel. It was great, wasn't it? How you defeated that fully evolved wild pokémon by yourself? You could have teleported to safety but you didn't. You stayed and fought. And you won!" He dipped her and she performed a dramatic stretch. "Well? How'd it feel? Tell me!"

"It felt awesome!"

"It certainly looks that way. I mean wow." A third voice interjected.

Their eyes snapped open and looked to the side. Sylvia had a paw on a closed book and was looking right at them with a playful grin. They had danced their way to their destination. Gallant lost focus and the box of poképuffs fell above them. Luckily, Angel pushed Gallant so she could catch it before it hit the ground but in doing so, imbalanced the male Kirlia who fell to the grass with a startled cry.

"That looked like it was a lot of fun. How come you guys never dance with me?" The Sylveon gave a fake pout.

"Uh... Do you want to dance, Sylvia?" Gallant offered as he got up.

"Oh no, I can't dance with these four legs. What was the point of even asking?" She stuck out her tongue cheekily.

"I should have known." Gallant deadpanned.

"You really should have." Angel commented as she placed the box of baked goods down on the wide flat stone. She tightened the ribbon around her horn and straightened her 'skirt,' back in her stoic mood.

Gallant took a seat from across from Sylvia and noticed her novel. "Ah, the book. I heard you're not enjoying it."

"It's compelling me to finish it, that's the only reason I'm still reading." She quickly replied. "Nevermind that for now, what's with the dance fever? That only happens when you're really feeling it, right? What's gotten you two so worked up?"

"Just him. I got swept up in the moment." Angel took her place on the soft grass and picked out one of the tasty treats.

Gallant rolled his eyes. "Even though she's good at hiding it, she's happy about dominating her first wild pokémon last night. A Fearow, no less. There's nothing wrong with feeling good about it, I say." He picked up a poképuff. "I wish I was there to see the whole of it."

"You and me both. I'm just glad you didn't get hurt, Angel. I nearly had a heart attack when that thing snatched you up." Sylvia spoke, reaching over to with her ribbons to pick up a poképuff of her own.

"Nothing to worry about. As I said, it wasn't an intelligent pokémon... But... Thanks for caring." She smiled.

"No problem, cutie."

"What about everything else?" Gallant asked, crumbs and mint cream now staining his lower face.

"Everything else?"

"Yeah. The Brilliant Meadow. Did you enjoy yourself?"

"Oh, yes." The shiny Kirlia smiled gratefully as she recalled what she experienced. "It was beautiful. I've never seen anything like it. Thanks for showing me."

"No problem. We'll do it again sometime soon, right?"

"We will...?" Angel asked hesitantly.

"Darn right, we will." Sylvia established. "It's fine to stay behind if you still have reservations."

"No! Uh... No, I wanna join you guys again. Really."

"Woah, check out our little rule breaker, Gallant. Rawr." Sylvia teased.

"Yes, we're glad to hear that." Gallant smirked at her. "So, Angel..."

"Um, yeah?"

"Do you have the book about the Legendary Pokémon Pantheon with you?" The male Kirlia was on his third poképuff.

"Oh. Um... Yeah. I have it here." Angel pulled out the book in question from her bag and placed it on the flat rock. "Is there something you're looking for?"

"Not particularly. I just think it's an interesting read."

"Well... Help yourself." The female Kirlia pushed it towards her male counterpart. Sylvia watched in silence.

Gallant blinked at his friend and noticed her odd behavior. His horns told him she wasn't angry, sad, scared or anything like that. So he could only wonder what exactly was bothering her.

"Something wrong, Angel?"

"Not really." Angel looked at the book dismissively. "I'm just not all that interested the information it has at the moment."

"Why's that?" Sylvia asked. "You were all over this book when you just got it... Is it because of Darkrai?"

"Not exactly him, it's just-"

"It does suck that you were literally the only one affected when he passed by here." Gallant recalled.

"You guys, I don't want-"

"Do you think he'll come right back and affect even more pokémon this time?" Sylvia interrupted.

"That isn't what-"

"That would be really bad. Wouldn't it, Ang-"

"Listen, you guys!" They blinked at her in alarm, crumbs and cream lining their faces. "It... It's not just about Darkrai anymore. I'm... Scared... But it's a different kind of fear. When I had that nightmare, I had written it off as just a bad experience like Miss Fleur suggested but that book gave me... Gave us context... It gave us a reason why we should be afraid... And now I can't help but be hesitant on what else we'll learn from it. I guess what I'm saying is..." She sighed. "It was really nice when we were ignorant, wasn't it?"

Gallant and Sylvia looked at Angel then to each other before setting their gazes on the hard covered book. Sylvia looked back at the uncomfortable Angel with a worried frown. She shuffled over to her friend and wrapped her ribbons around her, channelling that serene aura through them which helped put the psychic type at ease.

"Sorry, Angel. We hadn't realized how upset you've been, lately. Why didn't you tell us?" The Intertwining Pokémon rubbed her soft fur against the Kirlia's skin.

"Don't worry about it. It's just how I personally feel, don't let it bother you."

"How can it not bother us? You're our friend. You need to tell us these things or we won't know how to help." Gallant scooched up next to Angel. "Yeah, it sucks when you learn things that make you feel frightened and insecure but it's also important."

"Important?"

"Yes, very. Look... Remember when I said that those two legendary pokémon, Tornadus and Thundurus, attacked the Tempest Peaks? It was something unheard of to me at the time and it scared me. That could have been anyone. Even us. We could have been attacked by a fabricated storm and when we would go out and survey the damage we'd be like 'Oh it must have just been a natural occurrence,' and the perpetrators would get away with it. Probably be confident enough to attack us a second time. That's why it's important that we're informed. So we don't suffer from being ignorant. So we can fight back against what would have otherwise been unknown to us. That's why I say you having this book is a good thing. It would be a waste if you didn't use it to learn as much as you could, so..." Gallant pushed the book back in front of Angel. "Please?"

It was Angel's turn to look down at the book, then to her friends. Sylvia gave her a warm smile while Gallant gave her an encouraging nod. Even if she wasn't so sure herself, her friends made it clear that they were there for her in her times of need. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply. At Gallant's empowering words, uncertainty gave way to confidence and she pulled the book closer to the three of them. Then, with a reassured smile, she opened the book to read, her two friends huddled close to her and watching expectantly.

* * *

 

Tempest Peaks - Forest Base

"This is the last of it." The Rhyperior informed, handing the remainder of the shortened steel poles to Centrifuge, who placed them in their designated bag.

"Thank you, Carapace." He replied before turning to face his allied grass types with a bow. "And thank you, Chartreuse."

"No trouble at all." Valiant bowed back. "We all did good work here."

The gathered pokémon looked up at the statue of Zekrom, now fixed thanks to the fighting and rock type pokémon that had worked on it overnight. It was back in perfect shape. The cracks filled and the chipped parts replaced, it was easy to mistake it as a completely new statue. Indeed, very good work had been done.

Carapace and his team of rock types used the elastic bands attached to the barrels that once held water and hoisted them over their shoulders like makeshift bags. It was much easier to move them around this way and now that they were empty, easier to carry back as well.

"We'll be off then." The Rhyperior said as he and his crew prepared to leave. "It's quite a trip back for us. We'll need to return these barrels back to the Rock Realm before we can collect our share of the reward. We shall see you hence. Let's go everyone." Carapace motioned for his crew of Rhydon to follow as they left for their home.

"Safe travels!" Valiant yelled with a hearty wave before a sharp pain reminded him of his injury and he cradled his arm with the other. The rock types disappeared into the forest and the Chesnaught's partners started down the path to the Pokémon Settlement, the Conkeldurr following closely.

"Don't push yourself, Valiant. You'll open your stitches." Saber commented, a long, thin blade of glass hanging from his mouth.

"Hrm! No worries, Saber. It'll take more than this to bring me down!" The part fighting type joyfully boasted.

"I'll say it would. What with the three of you fighting Tornadus. I can't imagine such an experience being a pleasant one. All the more since you're grass types." Centrifuge said as he walked among them, using his short concrete pillars like makeshift walking canes.

He was right. Though they had achieved victory, throwing down with a legendary pokémon didn't come without its repercussions. Despite his bravado, Valiant was hurt the worst. The cuts on his arms and midsection he suffered from Tornadus' wind attacks and sharp talons required stitches plus more than a few bandages. Suffice it to say, he wouldn't be fighting for a while without the risk of reopening his wounds. Serpentine had medical wraps coiled around her upper body, stopping just below her head and not much else as Valiant had shielded her and kept most of the aggro on himself. Even though Saber sustained the lightest damage, he still required small wraps and bandages on a few spots of his body. Ointment was applied and that would have been enough but the bandages were there to keep his shallow wounds from being exposed to dirt and the elements.

"I can't say it was a pleasant experience, that's for sure. My injuries could have been much worse if Saber and Serpentine hadn't arrived to even the odds." The Spiny Armor Pokémon rubbed his chest.

"And even then, it was ssstill an uphill battle. He was a strong one." Serpentine reminded with her thick feminine accent.

"In the end, we won." Saber finished.

"What became of Tornadus?" Centrifuge inquired. "Did he flee?"

"Valiant knocked his ass out." Saber 'tactfully' informed. "Then he got picked up by another pokémon before any other actions could be taken. We couldn't make it out properly in the darkness and rain but it didn't appear to be hostile. Just came for Tornadus and left."

"Who do you think it might have been?"

"I hadn't considered." Saber looked at his two partners to see if they had anything.

"No clue, either. Sorry." Valiant shrugged.

"Ssssame." Serpentine closed her eyes. "Although..."

"Hm? Think you got something?"

"Just speculation on my part but its body type looked strikingly similar to the Forces on Nature when they're in their Incarnate Forms."

The other pokémon looked at her curiously. She, as well as pokémon like Arbok and Seviper, where partially known for having a different kind of vision from just about most pokémon with eyes. Theirs allowed them to see the heat signatures of other pokémon rather than having an acute visual perception. Because of that, she was able to 'see' the mystery pokémon better than her allies in the dark and, according to her, it resembled Tornadus, Thundurus and Landorus.

"There's a possibility..." Valiant considered. "We can rule Tornadus out because, well, you know... That leaves Thundurus and Landorus. I don't know what their relationship is like but I can at least see them coming to each other's aid. Unless of course, they really are that heartless."

"We have proof that Tornadus and Thundurus are." Saber stated matter-of-factly. "But Landorus has always been known to be benevolent. So maybe him?"

"Again, all just ssspeculation on our parts. We can't conclude on anything for sure." The Serperior twisted her head to face her teammates. "What I really want to know is why they chose now to start behaving the way they do. Did sssomething happen? Were they provoked? Are they just ruffians all the way through and I'm overthinking this?" She made a thinking noise, accompanied with a hiss.

"Now that you mention it..." Valiant begun and Serpentine looked at him expectantly. "This is the most I've heard you talk in a while."

"Ugh!" She couldn't physically roll her eyes so she slithered dismissively ahead of him instead. "Nevermind then."

"I don't know what to tell you, Serpentine. None of us have the answers." He walked up next to her. "Let's just focus on getting back to the settlement and resting. Hm? We can deal with all this when we need to. Right now, we don't have to. It's been a tiring enough mission, don't you think?"

"I suppossse." She looked up at him. "We'll have to make periodic stops, though. No way I'm having you walk all the way back in one go with those injuries."

"Hm? You know this is hardly a big deal for-"

"Can it, Valiant, I'm not hearing it. You'll do as I sssay for your own good."

"Uh, yes." The Chesnaught muttered in defeat. Then he heard a snicker. "Oh hush up, Saber."

The four pokémon reached the edge of the forest, the trees opening up to a view of a very slightly downward sloping grassland, not quite enough that anyone would trip. There was a path framed by tall rocks used to help keep wild pokémon away from travelling parties and even had signs which held suggested camping spots. The road would be a long one, as the Pokémon Settlement was quite far from the Tempest Peaks but they had enough supplies and company that it wouldn't be a problem. With that, the group of four started down the path and continued their trip back home.

* * *

 

Mirage Island - Noon

"Okay, you ready?"

"How did I get you to convince me to do this?"

The New Species Pokémon gazed at him with a heavy dose of weapons-grade adorableness. He lost the battle of will in an instant.

"Ah, of course."

Mew closed its eyes happily before glowing and changing its form. After a few seconds, a Victreebel was standing in front of Darkrai, gaping mouth pointed in his direction. "Alright, hold still and close your eyes." It instructed.

Darkrai did as he was told before feeling his entire body get drenched by a fluid that gave his body a minor burning sensation. Instead of it being adhesive, it just kinda rolled off him. After he felt it completely drip off of his body, he opened his eyes, feeling no different.

"I certainly hope this works."

"Oh, it'll work." The Victreebel transformed back into Mew. "That Gastro Acid won't last long but it'll suppress your ability long enough for me to show you."

"Show me...?"

"The world, Darkrai." Mew spun around him. "You said it yourself that you don't get to see the world too often and experience how awesome it is but that's gonna end today. I'll be your tour guide. I'm going to show you everything that's been going on in your absence. Everything I can."

"How will you do that?"

"Easy peasy."

With a dim flash, Mew transformed into a small yellow pokémon that had its eyes perpetually closed; the Psi Pokémon Abra. Then... Nothing happened. Over a minute passed before Darkrai realized Mew had fallen asleep because of his new form. Sighing, he reached forward and poked its forehead.

"Hm...? Ah! Sorry..." The Abra rubbed the back of its head. "When I transform, I get the chosen pokémon's powers but also its setbacks. I'll try to focus a little more. Anyway, are you ready?"

"I suppose."

"Great! Oh wait, let me say goodbye first." Mew, still an Abra, turned around and waved at his small pokémon friends. "See you soon, guys. Be good to each other. We'll be back before dark, 'kay?"

The gathered pokémon on the small island made multiple cute sounds of agreement. Satisfied, Mew floated up and sat on Darkrai's shoulder.

"Alright, here we go!" With a flash, the New Species Pokémon teleported them both off the island to start on their tour.

* * *

 

Brilliant Meadow

What could be said about the Brilliant Meadow? It was peaceful as always if one discounted the acts of violence wild pokémon would inflict on one another but that didn't count as that kind of behavior was just the natural flow of things. It had one open path for miles, the rest of it was tall grass, tall trees and a heavy abundance of assorted plant life. A pair of Furret scurried across the path but stopped midway and fled in alarm when a flash in front of them alerted them to potential danger. From the flash emerged a menacing dark pokémon and a disarming small yellow pokémon perched on his shoulder.

"Tada! It's the Brilliant Meadow! It's one of the biggest locations in the world and branches out to the Fairy, Grass and Normal Realms." Mew, disguised as an Abra, pulled at Darkrai's arm to get him to float higher. At the new vintage point, it smiled as best as it could at the dark type legendary. "What do you think?"

"I've been here before." Darkrai looked around at the healthy field brimming with colorful life. "I passed by here on my way to the Spirit Peaks."

"Is that right?"

"Yes. The Fairy Realm is not too far from here." His mood dropped. "I really hope I didn't-"

"Stop right there." Mew held up its currently yellow paw. "Forget about any of that. It's not why we're here. Look." Mew held his hand and led him down to a bed of pink flowers. "Ever seen flowers like these before?"

"No."

Mew giggled. "Because of the peculiar aura given off by the Fairy Realm, the flowers here started developing some real funky colors. Look, that one's red and pink. And this one's all white. These are all the same kind of flowers but the environment affects each of them in unpredictable ways. Kind of like those purple rocks in the Spirit Peaks. Isn't it amazing?"

"I... Suppose." Darkrai looked at the way some of the flowers differed from others yet still seemed to complement each other perfectly. It really was strange but in a good way.

"We're just getting started. Come on. I've still got a lot more to show you." Mew teleported them again.

* * *

 

Dragon Realm - Top of Sky Pillar

A flash of light heralded the dark and psychic type's presence to their next location. The very top of a tall tower. A large, circular, flat platform made of stone. Meter high bricks ran along the edges of the platform and in the centre was an entrance hole to the lower levels. What really caught the two pokémon's attention, though, was the statue of a coiled up Rayquaza and the many, many precious stones piled around it.

"This is the Sky Pillar of the Dragon Realm." The psychic type informed.

"You had us breach the Dragon Realm?"

"Don't think about it like that. Check it out." Mew floated over to the statue. "The dragon types here engage in worshipping rituals almost as strongly as the fairy types. Rayquaza is pretty much a deity to them and they show that by bringing him all kinds of valuable gems. Just this amount is enough to set any commercial pokémon for life but they choose to use them to pay tribute to Rayquaza as thanks for creating their realm."

"So this tower..."

"Was created by the dragons, yes. They didn't have to but I guess that's just how much Ray means to them. He isn't always here but on rare occasions, Ray would come down to rest on this tower and check up on his brood. Bet he gets delighted to see all these sparkling gems set just for him. I know I would." Mew floated back to him. "Now let's get out of here before we're seen. Regardless of our combined strength, I'm sure neither of us want to provoke an entire nesting ground of dragons. It'll be a real drag if that happened. Tee-hee. Get it? I said it'll be-"

"Let's be off, Mew."

"You're just a big bundle of joy, aren't you?" Once again, they teleported.

* * *

 

Inner Volcanic Summit

Hot. Hot... Hot!

"...Are we in a volcano?"

"Yes." Mew had indeed spawned them in a volcano. In a large, orange dimmed cavern with a few holes dug out by pokémon that were conveniently large enough for them to fit through. "We're nowhere near the lava flow, though and I highly doubt it'll erupt for no reason so it's fine."

"Still very hot."

"I'll have to agree with you there." Mew held Darkrai's arm again and led him down a long rocky corridor but stopped just before they entered the next room. A wide and spacious chamber with a high ceiling and nothing particularly interesting about it except for a glowing orange rock that sat on a pedestal in the centre.

"What could that be?" The Pitch Black Pokémon asked as he looked down at Mew.

"That's the Magma Rock. Its energy keeps Heatran dormant. Sort of has a calming effect on it. That's why it's best we don't enter this room. This is Heatran's chamber."

"...You mean to say that Heatran is literally a few feet away from us?"

"Yes. No need to worry, it won't attack us if we keep our distance. Heatran isn't a violent pokémon unless provoked. It wouldn't be the guardian of the Volcanic Summit if that was the case."

"All very interesting, I assure you but I don't want us to push our luck any further than this. The heat is also becoming unbearable. Can we please leave?"

"I'm with you on that, yeah..." Mew fanned itself with its paw before warping them out of the boiling chamber.

* * *

 

Still Lake

"This is the sea as you can see... Actually, it isn't. It's a lake. Still Lake. I just always wanted to say that." Mew giggled and hugged Darkrai's arm.

The dark type looked around. The lake was incredibly wide, spanning several kilometers on either side of him and filled with placid water inhabited by fresh water pokémon. That was about it for the lake. An opening north of the lake was a trench about thirty meters wide that went on beyond his vision.

"See that trench?" Mew interrupted Darkrai's inspection of the environment. "It leads to the Water Realm. Want to take a look?"

Darkrai looked down at Mew then at the trench before flying off into it, noticing the series of large rocks placed on either side of the water channel. A couple of flying types perched on them watched them fly by.

"The rocks are new." Mew explained. "They were placed at the edges of the lake and this trench to keep the water from overflowing onto the mainland and also to keep pokémon that can't swim from falling in. The moss growing on them really brings the look together, me thinks."

"How often do you visit the mainland?" He had been wondering about it for some time now.

"Quite a lot but I always disguise myself as something inconspicuous like a Pidgey or Butterfree. Can't draw too much attention to myself, after all. Even though I'm not the head of any realm, it's still part of my duty to see how the world is holding up every now and then. I promised Arceus at least that much."

Darkrai studied the pokémon on his shoulder for a little while before facing back toward the trench. They flew... Well, he flew just fast enough that the wind resistance didn't make Mew uncomfortable. About ten more minutes of flying passed until the trench opened up to water as far as the eye could see.

"It leads to the ocean." The Pitch Black Pokémon observed.

"Yup. A few more miles from here is an island inhabited by water types; the Water Realm. The Water Realm isn't just limited to the island, by the way. That's mostly for the amphibious ones. The ones that can't live on land instead live in the waters around and underneath the island. Everyday they would swim through this trench and into Still Lake. The lake itself has an opening at a low depth that leads to underneath the Pokémon Settlement where it meets with the narrow vertical route that would lead up to the artificial lake, Apex Lake, within the settlement itself." The psychic type explained.

"Mew?"

"Hm?"

"If I may ask, how are the pokémon in Still Lake able survive if it's connected to the ocean? Wouldn't the salt water be bad for them?"

"Ah, I can answer that. The water from Still Lake all the way to the Water Realm is purified by the Water Realm's Legendary Pokémon, Manaphy. Thanks to that, salt water predators like Sharpedo aren't able to swim to and hunt the pokémon inhabiting Still Lake. Isn't it amazing?" Mew held his hand and looked up at him as well as it could disguised as a pokémon that refused to open its eyes.

"It... Really is." Darkrai looked around him, taking in as much of the magnificent view as he could. When he focused, he could make out various aquatic pokémon leaping up to the surface and diving back in just as fast. He even saw a Wailord in the distance that broke the surface for a brief moment and then re-submerging, singing its Wailord song all the while. "Mew... Thank you for showing this to me."

"Save your thanks for the end 'cuz we ain't done yet, hot shot." Mew teleported them away with that distinctive flash.

* * *

 

Rugged Peaks

The two tourist pokémon warped in on the next location. A mountainous region surround by rocky terrain spanning for miles around them. From their height, he could make out a few rock and steel types on the surface of the land, some of them even engaged in battle. Such was the life of wild pokémon.

"This is the Rugged Peaks. It leads to the Steel Realm. East of here is the cold climate of the Blizzard Peaks, home of the Ice Realm. Any questions?"

"I have one, yes... Why is it that the word 'Peaks' is used to refer to every location that has mountains in it?"

"Hmm... My honest opinion? Laziness and lack of creativity. The names could have been better but it's too late to change them now. Come on. We're heading that way." Mew pointed in a specific direction for Darkrai to fly.

Following Mew's instruction, Darkrai soared in the specified direction for a good ten minutes. Eventually, they came across an opening in the high mountains which led to a narrow canyon that brought Still Lake's trench to mind.

"We're going through here this time. Watch out for hostiles." Mew crawled up from Darkrai's arm and onto his shoulder.

After he waited for the small pokémon to get comfortable, Darkrai took off into the canyon. It slightly curved this way and that with many large holes dug into the cliff's walls, presumably nests for the pokémon that inhabited the area. He passed by one hole and for a split second, he saw a Steelix's red eyes glaring back at him.

"This place is dangerous." He pointed out.

"Don't worry. You're flying too fast for any wild pokémon to be prepared to fight you. It's fine if we keep going like this."

The dark type nodded at Mew's logic, continuing to maintain his speed and altitude. Before long, the end of the valley came into view and upon exiting it, they were greeted by a marvellous sight. The land below was pretty much the same as before they entered the valley but there was something else. A very tall, very thick metal wall circling around a private land that went outside their field of vision. It was huge. So huge that he would have to fly high towards the clouds if he wanted to see the whole of it.

"What you see here is..."

"The Steel Realm." Darkrai finished Mew's introduction.

"Oh? You've been here?"

"Not this close but the Spirit Peaks is not too far from here."

"Then here's your chance to take it all in. The pokémon of the Steel Realm are responsible for manufacturing every known Battle Item as well as a few other things like fossil extraction and-"

"Fossil extraction?" Darkrai repeated, surprised.

"Fossil extraction, yes. I don't know how they do it, myself but they have the know-how to breathe life into pokémon from the distant past. Pokémon that should no longer exist in today's age. Because of a wish Jirachi granted a long, long, looooong time ago, they've grown over the years to become the most technologically advanced pokémon in the world. I'm actually not kidding. See those reflective surfaces lining along the top of the wall?" Mew focused Darkrai's attention to the slightly slanted boards resting along the top of the wall. "Those are called solar panels. They use solar energy to run their power. And thanks to Sunny Day, this means they can never run out of power for their production. It... It's... Uuuhhh..."

Darkrai had all his attention on the Steel Realm but it was soon taken away by the New Species Pokémon's strange behavior.

"Mew? Are you not well?"

"I'm fi-" a sudden gleam of light emanated from Mew and it reverted back to its original form. "Uh, whoopsie. Looks like I ran out my transformation time. Eh heheh..." Mew scratched its cheek and stuck its tongue out in embarrassment.

Darkrai stared blankly at the small pink pokémon then gave a small chuckle at Mew's antics.

"Hah! I got you to laugh! Score!" Mew started laughing along with Darkrai's more reserved growling laughter. Even when he was expressing joy, he still sounded terrifying but Mew wasn't about to say that.

They were so in the zone that they nearly failed to notice a bright object getting closer and closer to them. Just as it was about to strike them, Darkrai became aware of it just in time to spring into action.

"Watch out!" The legendary dark type shoved Mew out of the way at the last moment while moving back himself. He made it out fine but the unprepared Mew suffered a graze from the aggresive pokémon that cut into its skin and drew blood. It became clear at that moment that the pokémon attacking them was a Skarmory, a blue and white-striped scarf wrapped around its neck and the afternoon sun reflecting off its metal body.

"Um... Ow." Mew poked at its injury as it watched the flying type blitz passed them and circling back around for more. "What was that abou-"

"It's coming back." Darkrai's visible eye narrowed dangerously, ready to brawl. He raised an arm and created a black-purple vortex in front of it.

"Wait! Darkrai, no!" Just before he fired it, Mew tackled him from the side, making his Dark Void shoot out off mark. The black sphere just barely missed the Skarmory and activated behind it, expanding into a sucking mass of swirling energy that threatened to pull it in.

"We absolutely can not get violent with the mainland pokémon." Mew transformed back into an Abra while the Skarmory, wearing a look of terror and desperation, was still trying to escape being drawn in by Darkrai's attack. "Come on, we're leaving."

And just like that, they were gone, the flying type only now managing to pull itself free from the Dark Void's reach as it started to diminish. It looked around and huffed in frustration and more than a little relief when it noticed its targets had left. Nothing else that could be considered a threat around, it returned to the Steel Realm from whence it came.

* * *

 

Mirage Island

The harmless, happy go lucky wild pokémon that inhabited the island were busy doing their thing and enjoying the grassland scenery when a nearby flash of light told them of Mew's return. The ones nearby rushed at the distortion in the air and waited in patience for the arrival of the Legendary Pokémon. The haphazard manner of how Mew teleported them from the Steel Realm resulted in the two legendaries landing in a heap on the grass, confusing and startling the small flying and field pokémon gathered there.

"Heheh... Hahahahaha! Sweet!" Mew laughed from its position on Darkrai's stomach. "That was fun! But it's a shame we had to cut the tour short."

"You got cut." Darkrai, lying on his back, reminded the joyful legendary.

"Oh, this?" Mew got up and used Recover, the green aura healing Mew's cut to the point that it looked like it was never there to begin with. "Crisis averted. Tee-hee."

"..."

"You sure got a mean streak, you know that? Is your response to provocation always to attack?"

"Only when it concerns unfounded hostility. I was only going to put it to sleep. My ability would have done nothing, you made sure of that."

"Perhaps... But that Skarmory came from the Steel Realm. You know, unless a wild Skarmory got its talons on a Choice Scarf and somehow tied it around its own neck which we can both agree is poppycock... Heh. I don't get to use that word often. Anyways, the point is it wouldn't do well for us legendaries to attack the prestiged pokémon and their territories. We can't be their enemies."

"I wish Thundurus knew that." Darkrai offhandedly commented.

"Hm? What about Thundurus?" The Abra transformed back into Mew and it sat upright on the dark type's slim belly.

"He attacked or rather, attempted to attack the Spirit Peaks the night before I found myself on your island."

"Mrrmmmm? Quite a bully isn't he? What happened to him?"

"I defeated him." He simply stated.

"You're pretty scrappy."

"He was 'pretty' repellant. I could not stand his attitude. He planned to attack the land for no reason. And who knows, he might have taken his rampage to the Psychic or Fighting Realms."

"Do you know that for sure?"

"He didn't hesitate to attack Latias and I. It's not hard to imagine."

Mew's eyes widened by a small margin. "Latias was there? What for? What about Latios? Was he there too? What happened?" The psychic type rubbed the red ridges around the dark type's neck to emphasize its curiosity. At this point, the other pokémon gathered around the two legendaries moved close and cuddled up next to them. It was a welcomed form of affection.

"Latias spoke to me. She was there looking for me on Cresselia's behalf and I assume Latios was there for the same reason but he hadn't yet shown up at the time. She told me that my presence forced Cresselia to overwork herself in making Lunar Wings." Darkrai looked at the one on his arm given to him by the New Species Pokémon. "Despite all the trouble I caused, she said I could stay. The Lunar Wings had been made to keep the pokémon under Cresselia's watch safe and because the problem, my problem, had been solved, she said it was okay for me to stay in the Spirit Peaks. That was quite... Thoughtful of her."

"Latias always has been really kind." Mew lied down on his stomach, resting its cheeks in its paws. "What happened after that?"

"Thundurus appeared in this new form I hadn't seen before. He looked wildly different but the colors, electricity, thunder storm and poor attitude was all I needed to recognize him."

"His Therian Form. Both he and Tornadus have been rocking that look lately."

"Hmn. Is that so?" Darkrai sounded like he it didn't matter any to him.

"Uh-huh. It makes them more powerful than they already are but also seems to give them a volatile temperament as well."

"It didn't do him any good."

"Um... You didn't kill him, did you?"

"I put him to sleep."

Mew paused for a moment, its tail swishing around. "I would have said that's a better alternative if it were any other pokémon that was putting him to sleep... So what happened to him?"

"He fell into the valley."

"Yikes. Do you think he's okay?"

"I hope not."

"Oh, Darkrai..."

"I'm not remorseful. He had it coming. I gave him multiple opportunities to stand down but he just kept on attacking. He made his choice, it was too late for regrets." Darkrai closed his eyes. Mew could tell that he had no sympathy that the electric type Legendary Pokémon could have been seriously hurt or even killed.

"And Latias?"

"She..." The dark type sighed in regret. "She got hit by my Dark Void as well. I noticed fast enough and caught her before she hit the ground but that's when Latios showed up."

"Ooooohhh... That couldn't have been a good image for him to stumble upon."

"He immediately tried to attack me."

"Did the two of you fight?" Mew asked in worry.

"No, I put him to sleep too. It was safe, they were both wearing Lunar Wings. From there, I carried them back to the Psychic Realm... They were heavy." Darkrai added the last part as an afterthought.

"..." Mew kept quiet and the dark type opened his eyes to find the psychic type staring at him with a small smile.

"Something the matter?"

"You're... Really nice, Darkrai."

This time it was Darkrai that remained silent for a short while. "With the way things get when I appear, does it really matter?"

"It matters to me." Mew nuzzled against his chest. "What led to you coming all the way out here, huh?"

"I was shot."

"What?"

"The Sigilyph in the Psychic Realm shot at me when I returned Latios and Latias. They did a really good job of it too. So I fled from the Spirit Peaks, off the mainland and eventually found myself here."

"That's terrible! But at the same time also good because you found your way here... And then you met me! This story is happy end!" The psychic type threw its arms up.

Darkrai blinked at Mew's atrocious choice of grammar but it put him at ease and legitimately made him feel better about his situation. Talking casually like this. He felt... Free. Just as Mew promised. He reached up and placed an arm around the small pokémon lying on top him. Mew was startled at first, not expecting the Pitch Black Pokémon to show him this level of affection. It was surreal to say the least but it didn't matter to Mew who smiled and got comfortable on Darkrai's stomach. The psychic type purred in contentment and begun to drift off to sleep. It was a good time indeed when Mew could get comfortable enough to fall asleep right on top of the nightmare inducing dark type legendary with no worries.

"Good night, Darkrai." Mew giggled.

"It's not night."

"You're just a big bundle of joy... Aren't you?"

* * *

 

Fairy Realm

Angel closed her book with a small thump, her hand resting on the hard front cover. Her friends in front of her stared downwards in contemplation of what they had just learned. The afternoon's subject had been about the Creation Trio. Dialga; the steel/dragon pokémon who moved time forward with every beat of his heart. Palkia; the water/dragon pokémon who could rend space with the sheer power of his attacks alone. Giratina; the ghost/dragon pokémon whose power could breakdown, alter or completely destroy any form of matter. All very deadly, that's for sure. As the pages noted, Dialga and Palkia could have been the leaders of the Dragon and Water Realms but their power was too strong and important for them to be readily exposed to the world. For that, with the help of fellow Legendary Pokémon; Uxie, Mesprit and Azelf, they locked themselves away in a plane of reality different from the one inhabited by the world's pokémon. The trio of legendary psychic types then hid themselves away in parts unknown, never to be disturbed.

The Renegade Pokémon, Giratina, however, remained on the mainland and went on to create the Ghost Realm, uplifting and educating as many of the ghost pokémon as he could and placing them under his thrall. Any pokémon, even other ghosts, not within his dominion would be struck down for just approaching his territory. Years of this behavior amassed enough of a body count to turn a once marvellous forest into the Spectral Forest known today, inhabited by the spirits of the pokémon he had slain in the defense of his realm.

Eventually, Arceus had enough of these wanton acts of violence and confronted Giratina on his cruel mannerisms. Failing to reach a compromise, Arceus and Giratina engaged in a battle that is said to have shaken the world itself. After several days and nights of being locked in battle, Arceus emerged victorious and punished Giratina for his insolence by banishing him to the Distortion World. A separate plane of existence in which neither time nor space exist and where the Renegade Pokémon remains to this day. With the Ghost Realm no longer protected by Giratina's presence, the vengeful pokémon of the Spectral Forest began chipping away at its walls. But even with the Legendary Pokémon no longer watching over them, the uplifted ghost types continue to mount a defense against them. How long they will last remains to be seen...

The three young pokémon continued to sit in silence as they processed the information laid on them. Looking back and forth between her friends, Angel decided to be the first one to speak.

"So... What do you guys think?"

"I'll state the obvious. Giratina sounds terrible." Sylvia replied.

"Killing pokémon so much that a whole forest ended up being overrun by the spirits of the dead certainly is something extreme." Gallant commented.

"Not to mention fighting against his own creator like that. I think that may be the most selfish thing I can imagine." Angel thought about the implications of what could happen if someone would be so ungrateful as to rage against their Lord Xerneas. It was too appalling for her.

"He deserved getting banished if you ask me. From what the book says, it benefited every pokémon." Sylvia said.

Gallant held up one of his fingers. "Every pokémon except the ones in the Ghost Realm. I mean sure, their leader's actions were questionable but where does that leave them? The book doesn't say anything about them taking part in Giratina's carnage. Their situation could be a byproduct of his negligence and in no part their fault."

"Way to keep an open mind, Gallant." Sylvia poked his cheek with a ribbon. He just let her have her way.

Angel placed a finger under her chin in thought. "Hmm... I hadn't considered something like that."

"Who knows? Maybe because of the way he acted, they're glad to be rid of him." Sylvia replied.

"Whatever the case, they have no master to maintain their realm. It could be fine, it could be crumbling. It could even be that they're suffering more than anyone else. We don't have any of the answers. Not yet." Gallant stretched, getting up.

"Going home already?"

"I just wanna take a short stroll. Been sitting in one spot for so long, I think my ass fell asleep."

Angel looked at him and fought to keep from laughing at his immature form of humor. Sylvia on the other hand, laughed it up plenty.

"Hahahaha! Funny Gallant is funny but you do have a point. Eating poképuffs and lazing around won't do us any good. Come on, Angel."

"Yeah, sure." Angel picked up her book and placed it in her bag. "Don't forget your novel."

"Ah... Right." The Sylveon picked up her novel using her ribbons and held them close to her body.

"How strong are those ribbons of yours anyway? They look light yet I've seen you pick up things like books, bags and even small rocks with them."

"Give me your cheek and we'll find out together." She brandished her ribbons.

"I'll pass."

"Booooo, Gallant."

He ignored her. "So how do you feel now, Angel? Your book has a lot of important information to give. Isn't it great that you have it? We could have never learned as much as we have if you never got it."

"Yeah... That's true. Thanks, Gallant." She smiled at him.

"Not a problem. Not to say I'm not happy living here, that's the farthest thing from the truth. I love it here. This is our home. But a little exposure couldn't hurt us. I need to know as much as I can about the world. We all do. So we can protect the things we care about." The young fairy looked down at his small hands. "Sometimes I wonder, though, if I have the power to back up that claim. All this talk about rampaging Legendary Pokémon makes me... Afraid."

Angel and Sylvia looked at each other before the Intertwining Pokémon sauntered up to Gallant. "Hey, don't sweat it, champ. I don't think there's any one pokémon out there that can get things done by themselves. That's why you have us. And why we have you. It's why we get stronger everyday, right?" She wrapped a ribbon around his arm and her aura coursed from her body to his.

Gallant smiled wide, both from her words and the serene sensation taking over his body like a drug. He closed his eyes as he walked. She didn't do this for him very often and he had nearly forgotten what it felt like. They kept walking through the forested area and soon emerged to the more populated part of the realm. They were immediately spotted.

"Hey! Gallant!"

Said pokémon opened his eyes to see two Kirlia running up to greet him. His friends and training partners, Valor and Intrepid.

"Hello, ladies." He greeted.

"Oh, ha ha." Valor dryly replied while Intrepid chuckled by his side. "Hello, Sylvia and Angel."

"Hey, y'all." Sylvia greeted back. Angel said nothing but waved at them.

"Hope we're not interrupting anything but we have a message for Gallant." Valor spoke.

"Ja. We were told by Edge that you, Valor, Resolute, Stalwart and I have to meet up with him in front of the Life Tree by nightfall. He said it's very important. Something about a blessing. Other pokémon will be there as well." Intrepid said before turning his attention to the two female pokémon. "You guys may as well come too. We don't know what it is yet but why not join us?"

"Sure, sounds fun. Right, Angel?"

"Sure, we'll be there." Angel nodded.

"Great! See you tonight! Come on, Gallant." Intrepid yanked his friend away from Sylvia's soothing ribbons.

"H-Hey, what are-"

"We saw you carrying that huge box of poképuffs earlier and I'll be damned if you gain any extra weight. We're going to train. Farewell, ladies." He bid Angel and Sylvia goodbye as he dragged Gallant off in the direction of the Training Hold.

Valor bowed politely at the female pokémon before he too joined Intrepid and Gallant. The remaining Kirlia and Sylveon watched them go in silence. When they were out of sight, the two pokémon resumed their stroll in the opposite direction. They couldn't help but wonder what would be happening by the Life Tree later on tonight and couldn't wait till they could get their answer now that their curiosity had been piqued.

"It's still a ways. What do we do until tonight?"

"20 Questions?"

"Oh! Heck yeah!"

* * *

 

Fairy Realm, Life Tree - Night

Gallant, Valor, Intrepid, Resolute and Stalwart walked through the entrance to the Life Tree. Immediately they were greeted by the garden of unparalleled beauty but their attention soon fell to all the pokémon gathered there. Approximately two thirds of the realm's population. In front of them was a line composed of Flora, a Clefairy, a Jigglypuff and a pair of Togetic. Ahead of them were Edge and Fleur de Lis and Jubilee, posed in front of the large white tree that was Lord Xerneas. The remainder of the pokémon stood around the inner skirts of the garden, leaving a great deal of space between them and the pokémon stationed in front of the Life Tree.

Edge smiled at them and motioned for them to join the line. From where he was, Gallant could see Angel and Sylvia in the crowd. He waved at them and they waved back. After the five had joined the the line, Edge stepped to the side to give Fleur centre stage.

"It brings me great joy to see all your lovely faces here like this." She smiled gently at the small group in front of her before turning around to face the Life Tree. "Oh, our dear Lord Xerneas. We hope that you grant these pokémon your favor and see them through all trials and tribulations that await them in the near future. We ask for your blessing on this momentous occasion, that you may grant us the strength to continue to protect your legacy." She bowed her head and so did every pokémon gathered there.

Not a moment too late, an empowering aura basked over the garden. The plants around the white tree grew and bloomed gracefully, regardless of their growth cycle. The pokémon that felt the sensation of Xerneas' energy flowing through them were left motionless and speechless, focusing only on the warmth it provided like a supernatural security blanket. It didn't last long but that wasn't important. They had received Lord Xerneas' blessing. Slowly, they raised their heads.

Fleur faced the Togekiss, Jubilee, who had been clutching a bag with her feet the entire time. She flew in closer to the pokémon in lineup, dropping the bag and revealing small black boxes that were packed inside of it. Then, one by one, she delivered the boxes to the pokémon, each of them clasping one in their hands. Eventually one of them made its way to Gallant. Done, Jubilee withdrew back to Edge and Fleur with her now empty bag.

"Feel free to open them any time." She said with a smile.

Gallant took Jubilee's advice and opened his box, his eyes lighting up at what he saw. A blue oval-shaped stone that shown with a dim but fascinating light. A Dawn Stone. He looked to his left and noticed his friends were equally in awe. This was it. Their wait had paid off. They were finally allowed to evolve. He looked up at his instructor and Edge smiled at him with a small nod. He looked back down, gently taking the Dawn Stone into his hands and dropping the box. There were flashes of light coming from either side of him and he knew what was happening. With a smile that barely hid his joy, he closed his eyes and absorbed the hidden energy within the stone, his body starting to glow before being consumed in an all-engulfing light.

* * *

 

Steel Realm

"Fascinating."

A Metagross, large even by his species' standard, stood in front of a thick, one way viewing glass wall as he observed the system taking place on the other side of it. A super-sized terrarium made for and inhabited by pokémon of days long since passed that the Steel Realm had restored using the genetic code of their fossilized remains found deep underneath the world's surface. The terrarium itself was large. The size of a small colony. Big enough that several species of the once fossilized pokémon could claim entire territories of their own. There were tall trees, bearing all kinds of nutritious berries. There was a lake, to the utmost delight of the water dwellers. The grass and vines that made up most of the terrarium were thick and rich with life. Finally, at the very end, obscured by everything before it, was a rocky terrain for pokémon like Aerodactyl to enjoy. An Archeops ran right in front of him with an Omanyte captured within its mouth as its prey. Being able to grant new life using old DNA may have been the Steel Realm's greatest achievement yet. The Metagross couldn't help but marvel with swelling pride.

A sliding door behind the psychic type opened, telling him of new company.

"Sovereign." A Skarmory with a Choice Scarf wrapped around his neck entered the room he stood in. "Krane, reporting back from my rounds, sir."

"Ah, yes." Sovereign voice was deep and robotic as he continued to monitor the activity in front of him. "Anything of interest?"

"Not in particular but I came across two pokémon that got too close to the realm for my liking. They fled before I could properly engage them."

"I see. So it was another uneventful patrol then?" Sovereign started for the automated sliding door and Krane followed after him.

"I suppose... But they were both pokémon I had never seen before so I was a little concerned. One of them used an attack that caused a gravitational pull effect. I was hoping you could shed a little light on what kind of pokémon it was." The Skarmory replied.

Sovereign contemplated that information, only privy to a few of such moves himself. "Do you mean Hurricane?"

"No, not Hurricane. It was black and purple and it moved like some kind of vortex. It missed me but quickly expanded and tried to draw me in like some kind of black hole..." The Skarmory shuddered just remembering it.

"Hmmm... That is quite strange. This is the first I'm hearing of it. Can yoy describe the pokémon to me?" The Metagross turned and begun walking down a long corridor with many doors lining its walls.

"Yes, of course. Um, let's see... It was all black, with a white wavy substance on top of its head. It head red ridges going around its neck. It was slim, three claws on each hand, no legs that I could see, a single visible blue eye... And... Um, sir?" The steel/flying type noticed that Sovereign had stopped walking and was now staring ahead of himself.

"Krane... The pokémon you're describing sounds a lot like Darkrai."

"Darkrai?" The Skarmory tilted his head quizzically.

"Yes. You may not know him because he keeps himself isolated and he's not exactly a pokémon others would be compelled to talk about." With heavy steps, Sovereign turned around to face Krane. "He is a Legendary Pokémon that can end the lives of anything asleep within his vicinity. Even without his ability, he is still a frighteningly powerful pokémon. Be glad you were able to escape with your life."

Krane gulped and if he could sweat, he would have filled a bucket. "Y-Yes, sir. Fortunately, he and the pokémon he was with fled the area while I struggled against his attack."

"Ah, yes. You mentioned another pokémon that was with him. Care to tell me?" He was very curious as to what kind of pokémon would be willing to put itself in mortal danger by allying itself with Darkrai. Perhaps a friendly wild pokémon that didn't know any better? Or a pokémon with Insomnia?

"Let's see... It was small and pink, had a long tail with a bulbous tip. Small ears, blue eyes, short arms-"

"Krane..." He said the Skarmory's name but it didn't look like he was beckoning him, instead lost in thought.

"Sir?"

"No it couldn't be... To have so much luck as to encounter both Darkrai and Mew, together at once... It's... It's unfathomable." It was such an insane coincidence that Sovereign didn't even question why Mew and Darkrai were together near the Steel Realm.

"Mew? As in the mythical pokémon, Mew? And I attacked it!?" Krane looked like he was about ready to pass out at this point.

"Indeed. You may have the greatest luck in the world, Krane. To not only see both Mew and Darkrai at the same time but to also survive an encounter you instigated." The Metagross gave a low, mirthless chuckle.

"So... What you're saying is that this is Mew's blood?" He drew attention to one of the blades that made up his right wing, a small splotch of dried red substance staining the tip of the uppermost one.

Sovereign just stared blankly at the dried blood on the Skarmory's wing. Mew's blood. He was staring at Mew's blood. It couldn't be... He refused to believe it but he had to be sure.

"Krane, come with me." He tucked his mechanical limbs into his body and flew down the long corridor. Krane chased after him as he was told, his talons clanging loudly on the metal floor.

Reaching halfway across the hall, the Metagross stopped and turned to face a hexagonal door larger than all the others. He raised one of his arms and manipulated the panel that was to the right of it. A series of beeps later and he was granted access, the doors sliding away to let them through. In the room were a large selection of monitors situated against the left and right walls, curruntly being worked on by some Metang. Ahead of them sat a large six-by-six meter screen and below it, some kind of terminal only members of the Steel Realm would know about, much less operate.

With his psychic power, Sovereign plucked the blood off Krane's wing and headed for the terminal. There was a small opening at the top where a thin plate of glass lay as well as a panel with which to operate the device. The steel/psychic type placed the blood sample on top of the small glass tray. Then he used the claws on one arm to type in a command. Slowly, the glass tray sunk into the terminal and after a short wait, the large screen above came to life. Normally, it would just show a record, statistics and accompanying image of the pokémon the sample belonged to and that would be it. The machine, however, did something truly odd.

Had Sovereign not been a Metagross, his brain would have been unable to process how fast the images on the screen were flying by one after the other. Bulbasaur to Dragonite, Chikorita all the way through to Xerneas, Yveltal and Xygarde. It's like he dumped in all the DNA samples of every known pokémon and waited for it to process all that information. The other pokémon in the room joined him in observing this strange phenomenon. The pictures kept cycling, looping back around whenever it reached the end. It kept on going and going in a series of noisy beeps until Sovereign decided he had seen enough and shut off the machine which then ejected the glass plate that held Mew's blood back to the top of the terminal.

The Iron Leg Pokémon said nothing, instead choosing to contemplate the possibilities of what could be done with the New Species Pokémon's DNA. Sovereign gave a low, almost inaudible laugh. Oh, what joy this brought him. Even now he still thought it was untrue but the proof stared him right in the face.

"Sovereign, sir? Are you okay?" Krane approached his leader with unsteady steps, equally as shaken by what he had just witnessed.

"Krane..."

"Sir...?"

The Metagross turned to face him, his red eyes burning with deep desire and inspiration.

"What would you say if I told you that we can grow our own Legendary Pokémon?"

* * *

 

END CHAPTER.

Thank you for reading. Please share your thoughts.


	10. New Beginnings

Twilight. The period between night and day. The sun only just barely beginning to rise over the horizon, painting it a dim orange while the sky remained a dark blue, stars becoming less and less visible as the minutes passed by. The Fairy Realm's populace sleeping soundly, awaiting the hour in which most would wake to start their morning ablutions. Three denizens of the realm had been wide awake for some time now, however, their footfalls landing gently against the soft grass of their beautiful land as they made their way towards their point of interest: The Training Hold. They had the idea to use the large training structure this early so as to not be disturbed by any rules or spectators. This was the only free time they could set aside for themselves and they were going to make the most of it. A few more minutes passed by before they halted at the Training Hold's locked doors. Smirking, they focused their psychic power and teleported into the closed building.

With a light flash and a peculiar sound, the three friends appeared at the centre of the main room that they were oh-so familiar with. Most of the equipment had been packed away in the rear storage room at the end of the previous day, leaving them with quite a lot of space to work with.

"You fought with Intrepid last time." Valor smirked at his fellow Gallade. "It's you and me, Gallant."

"Sounds good." Gallant could barely contain himself as he extended his new blades from his elbows and watched as Valor did the same. "I didn't get any sleep last night. All I could think of was breaking in my new form."

"I hope you won't use your fatigue as an excuse for when you lose." Valor's smirk grew wider.

"You wish." Gallant placed one arm in front of himself as a means of defense and the other by his side, ready to strike. "Don't you dare hold back."

"Wouldn't dream of it." Valor got into a fighting stance of his own and shifted his eyes to the third pokémon in the room. "Give us the signal, Intrepid."

"No problem." Intrepid walked backwards so as to give them space and also to avoid getting caught in the crossfire of the imminent battle. "Ready, guys...?"

Gallant and Valor stared each other down with intense gazes and predatory smiles gracing their features. They both nodded.

Intrepid slowly raised his arm up and then quickly brought it down vertically. "Fight!"

As soon as he gave the word, Gallant and Valor were already within striking range of one another. They swung their blades at the same time once they met, their weapons clashing violently and creating purple sparks from their collision points. Valor shoved his blade upwards against Gallant's with all the force he could muster, successfully managing to imbalance his fellow fighting type and following up with a rising uppercut with his other arm towards his opponent's jaw. Gallant reacted with fast reflexes, his training combining well with his now far more capable body, leaning back as Valor's arm sailed above him. Using his backwards momentum, Gallant threw his arms behind him, touching down on the floor and converting the motion into a backflip, followed by a second one and then a third as he escaped the range of his spar partner's pressure. As soon as his legs met the ground from his final flip, Gallant leaped right back toward Valor, who was in the middle of pursuing Gallant, himself.

Gallant smirked as his body suddenly lit up in a blinding flash of light that made Valor hesitate and raise one arm to protect his eyes. Though, still unfocused, Valor was able to correctly block Gallant's attempted blindside attack by raising his free arm at just the right moment and angle which colided with a downward strike of Gallant's blade, the force of impact resulting in a loud clash accompanied by a purple haze of psychic energy. Valor blinked at that. They truly did get stronger. Both in mind and body. Never would he have anticipated such an attack while he was still a Kirlia and he could only smile back at the equally jovial Gallant as they both realized the possibilities their evolution would bring to future battles.

"Having fun?"

"Like you don't even know."

Gallant swung his other blade-arm diagonally at his opponent and the two collided again when Valor parried it with his own. Clash after clash, the two fully evolved pokémon tried as best as they could to get passed the other's defense but their heightened sense of perception made it easier said than done.

Intrepid watched the fight unfold while leaning against the wall and eating Roseli Berries from a small bag he brought in with him, enjoying the show his two friends were putting on. He popped another berry into his mouth as he watched Valor attempt a Low Sweep but Gallant, showy as ever, performed a corkscrew flip over it and threw out a roundhouse kick when he landed which went on to get blocked by Valor putting his upper arms together and protecting his face as he got up from his low attack. He made sure that he blocked with the sides of his arms, as the underside of their arms had become dangerous blades upon their evolution. He wasn't trying to seriously injure his friend... But that didn't mean he couldn't leave him with a few bruises. Valor captured Gallant's raised leg, lifted him, twisted and slammed his back into the ground with great force, knocking the wind out of him. Not giving his opponent any mercy, just like he asked, Valor followed up by swinging Gallant up around him by the same leg and tossing him into the air. Still not letting up, Valor leaped up after his opponent and threw a punch at the reeling Gallade's exposed midsection. Just before the hit connected, however, Gallant's body lit up with and he warped himself out of Valor's range. The airborne Gallade blinked in alarm as he felt his leg get grabbed after his attack failed, feeling himself getting pulled into Gallant's hold, his arms around his waist and sending them both falling back to the ground in a rather painful looking suplex.

Intrepid cringed when he saw that and smiled when he remembered he enjoyed this level of violence, tossing another berry into his mouth.

Gallant jumped away from his floored friend's body to give him some breathing room after that attack. It didn't take long for Valor to perform a spinning hand stand and jump back onto his feet.

"Ow."

"You're telling me..." Gallant held his chest, breathing heavily.

"You're not getting away with that." Valor locked eyes with Gallant and his body pulsed with a series of bright, white glowing bursts of energy.

Gallant's eyes widened and he raised his arms up as a desperate means of defense, the light emanating from Valor causing his body a great deal of pain and discomfort.

"How'd you like the taste of irony?" Valor taunted, his Dazzling Gleam having an obvious negative effect on the fighting type.

Gallant said nothing, instead retaliating with a Dazzling Gleam of his own. Even though they were no longer fairy types, they still recalled their earlier techniques and since they focused more on physical force than special, the fairy attacks they fired at each other only resulted in two very agitated pokémon.

"You can't do that!" Gallant complained.

"Why not? It's a move I know so I'll use it as much as I damn well please!"

"We're here because we promised each other we'd only be practicing our new strengths!"

"No one's gonna promise you anything on the battlefield. Get over yourself!"

"You suck!"

"YOU suck!"

"You suck all the balls!"

"Bite me, Gallant!"

Intrepid watched them bicker back and forth, still thoroughly entertained, chewing happily on his Roseli Berries. Their argument got to the point where they both had enough, extending their blades dangerously and coating them in a purple glow. Gallant acted first, swinging his arm and firing from it a purple crescent blade of psychic force. Valor fired a Psycho Cut of his own at Gallant's, the two attacks colliding in a spectacular, purple colored explosion of opposing energy. Valor didn't let up and sent another Psycho Cut flying at Gallant who easily dodged to the side as the energy blade harmlessly passed him by. At the same time, he heard the doors to the Training Hold unlock and slowly swing open. His eyes widened as Valor's deadly projectile continued to cruise towards whoever was coming in. Using his psychic power, he just barely altered its trajectory, causing it to miss the pokémon that walked in and impact the wall a few centimeters away from him, leaving a huge gash in its surface.

The three trainees stared at their instructor, Edge, who just stared back at them, nonplussed. Then he looked at the damaged wall, shrugged and walked into the room without a care. From behind them, they could spot the two Klefki that opened the lock; Keychain and Keyring.

"Enjoying yourselves I see." Edge commented with a small smile as he approached his students.

"Um... Yeah. We just wanted a little sparring time for ourselves." Gallant replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Sorry about the wall." Valor apologized. "And the close call."

"The doors have been busted by pokémon getting knocked into them, this isn't that big a deal. Besides, your emotions were all over the place so I knew you were in here. That projectile was never going to hit me." Edge reassured. "So... How does it feel?"

They were going to answer but Intrepid beat them to it. "Awesome!"

Edge's attention was caught by the loud Gallade he hadn't yet noticed.

Intrepid gave a spin and did a few poses, showing off his body. "Check out my crest!" He poked the red triangular protrusion on his chest. "My blades!" He extended his blades. "These HIPS!" ...And he rubbed his hips up and down.

Edge stared as his student continued to rub his hips before turning to the other two fighting types. Even though they were all fully evolved via Dawn Stone exposure, they were still young and each of them were one head shorter than him. In time, they would fully grow into their bodies. For now, they could enjoy them as much as they wanted. Regardless of their physical transformation, they were still his same old students. It made him happy.

"Sun's up. Help me get the equipment out of storage. The others will be coming in soon. Before then, we can go over some basics, since you're already here."

"Yes sir." Gallant and Valor responded and followed him into the storage room. Or would have until they noticed Intrepid was still admiring himself.

"Come on, Narcis Prince." Gallant grabbed his friend's arm and pulled him along with the rest.

Intrepid tilted his head in confusion "...My name's Intrepid."

"It sure is." Gallant paid him no mind.

* * *

Fairy Realm - Flora's Library

It had been a few hours since the library opened up to the public, allowing for pokémon to borrow books, return books or simply using the seatings as a hospitable place to read. A Floette hovered behind the main counter, handling any and all transactions between customers and ushering seats for those that chose to read in the book-filled structure. The light jingle of the bell positioned above the door frame told her of a new patron and she put on her best smile.

"Good morning and welcome to Flora's Library. How may I be of assistance?" She spoke with a kind tone.

"Good morning." A Sylveon greeted back. She was accompanied by a silent blue and white Kirlia.

"Why hello there, Sylvia and Angel. How are you today?"

"Fine thanks. Just here to return this novel now that I'm done with it." The Intertwining Pokémon used her ribbons to place the book she borrowed on the counter.

"Oh, Sunset! This is one of my favorites. Did you like it?"

"I... Don't know."

"Hm?"

"I mean... I think I did. Let's just say I'm happy I'm done reading it." Sylvia stared at the novel in question, glad to be rid of it.

"Oh, I see. Will you be reading the rest of the series?"

"No, I don't think I'll be doing that. Floor's yours, Angel." She backed away from the counter to give her friend some space.

Angel walked up and removed a hard-covered book from her bag. The book that detailed the origins of the Legendary Pokémon. "Um... Yes, um, I want to make a payment to borrow this for a bit longer, if that's okay?"

"Sure thing."

"Thank you." Angel reached into her bag and removed a few shards to pay the standard borrowing fee. The Floette accepted them gratefully and placed them behind the counter.

"Will that be all?"

"Can we also use one of your tables? We would like to get some reading done here... If it's not too much trouble?" Angel used the book to hide the lower part of her face.

"No trouble at all. There should be some empty seats in the back."

"Just like last time, amirite, Angel? Come on." Sylvia wrapped a ribbon around Angel's arm and led her to the back of the library.

They passed by shelf after shelf, bypassing some pokémon in the aisles as well, remaining silent all the way through. They turned into an aisle at the end of a long corridor and came across a lone pokémon. A Florges with blue flowers framing her head. She was removing books from a box on the floor and placing them in an orderly fashion on one of the shelves. She noticed the two pokémon approaching her and turned to face them with a delicate smile.

"Well, if it isn't Angel and Sylvia. How are you two girls this morning, hm?"

"We're fine, thanks." Sylvia answered before looking the Florges up and down. "Gotta say, Miss Flora, you're looking reeeaaal good. Congratulations on the evolution."

Flora giggled. "Why, thank you." She moved back to give them room to pass by. "Don't make me hold back your opportunity to learn. Go find yourselves some seats."

"Thank you." Sylvia smiled and continued to lead her anti-social friend to an isolated section. "Be seeing you."

Flora waved at them before getting back to stacking books on the shelf.

The Kirlia and Sylveon turned one last corner and spotted a table with no one around for... Well miles is kind of a stretch... Meters? No one around for meters.

"Here we go." Sylvia jumped onto one of the seats and Angel climbed daintily on the other one beside the Eeveelution.

Angel placed the book on the table with a thump and opened it. "Anything in particular you'd like to go over?"

"Actually, yeah. In the intro section, I noticed Lord Xerneas was paired together with a pokémon named Evil-Tall or something like that. I'm curious as to what the connection is."

Angel nodded and raised her hand, turning through the pages quickly using her psychic manipulation before finding the entry they were looking for. The left page showed an illustration of a large red and black avian pokémon while the right had written details about it.

"Woah. Look at this dude." Sylvia leaned in a bit closer. "It looks... I mean... It's kinda... Nah, this guy just straight up looks hostile. I can't sugarcoat it."

Angel looked at the picture for a few moments before reading the Legendary Pokémon's entry. "Yveltal, the Destruction Pokémon. Whereas Xer... Lord Xerneas represents and bestows the essence of life, this Legendary Pokémon brings only death and destruction. This pokémon's power is so great that his ability boosts the strength of all dark types just from his mere presence. Upon his birth, Yveltal made the Twilight Forest his home and claimed the dark pokémon that inhabited it as his children, which is how the Dark Realm came to be. He showed them the way of battle as well as welcomed them to a greater lifestyle not known to wild pokémon. He remained with them for years but eventually left the mainland as soon as they were able to function by themselves. The reason for this was simple: Yveltal was and still is a dangerous pokémon. More dangerous than anything in the word except perhaps the Creation Trio. While an extremely powerful pokémon in his own right, the real danger came from his method of immortality. When Yveltal comes to the end of his lifespan or suffers a life-threatening injury, a reaction takes place within his body, releasing a devastating wave of energy that drains all the life out of anything it comes into contact with, using that stolen life force to form a rejuvenating cocoon and incubate until it restores its damaged body back to perfection. Such an incident had only happened once before. To a large island once populated by wild pokémon that foolishly thought to take advantage of their strength in numbers against the lone dark type. Those pokémon no longer exist and Yveltal has remained on that island to this day..."

Angel turned to face her fellow fairy type, done reading and curious about the Sylveon's thoughts.

"He... Sure is the opposite of Lord Xerneas, alright." Sylvia spoke as she continued to gaze at the image of Yveltal. "That's quite a trick he's got going on... You know, I'm sure they can't be all bad but regardless of their intentions, the dark type Legendary Pokémon so far seem to have a lot of nightmarish abilities... One of them literal."

"I wonder... Do you think he and Lord Xerneas are on good terms? Assuming they know each other at all?" Angel asked.

"I hope so. I mean... They at least aren't enemies, right?"

"I don't think anyone can afford having a pokémon like Yveltal as an enemy. Sounds like even if you manage to kill him... You still lose."

"Hmmmm... I will give him this, though; he cared enough about the Dark Realm to make sure they never fell prey his power. So we can assume he has some standards."

"I guess..." Angel looked down in contemplation. The book was certainly something but the real thing that stood out the most to her was the fact that with every passage she read from it, it became more and more apparent that the world wasn't such a wonderland she initially believed it to be. Most of the Legendary Pokémon she read about had some kind of dubious story to them. Yveltal and Giratina in particular... But she couldn't stop. She wouldn't stop. Like Gallant said, the information it held was important if they were to one day explore the world for themselves.

"Should I keep going?" Angel asked her friend.

"Please do." Sylvia smiled. "We got all morning, let's make the most of it."

The Kirlia nodded and jumped back to a previous section, looking for a certain pokémon that had piqued her curiosity for a while now. A dragon type with a frozen body. The lord and master of the Ice Realm. The Boundary Pokémon, Kyurem.

* * *

Unknown Location

"Must... Escape..."

How long had it been since he was trapped in this twisted world? A black, featureless expanse of nothing stretching on forever. No one around to help ease his anxiety.

"A way out... Need to find..."

It felt like he had been condemned to wherever this was for months, years, an eternity. He had no perception of time here. He continued flying but made no progress. He had to escape. Had to find a way out before... They came back.

"Not here either... Have to hurry... I have to hurry or... No. They're here!"

Several hissing sounds suddenly broke through the darkness. Getting louder and louder, closing in on his location no matter what direction he chose to flee in and in no time at all, they were upon him.

"Get back!"

They didn't listen, their hisses now all he could hear in his pitch black prison. Red eyes glared at him through the dark terrain. No matter where he looked, they were there. Then they struck. From close range, they looked like what appeared to be Ekans with sleek black bodies and hateful red eyes but that was all the time he got to observe them before they sunk their equally red fangs into his skin. It would be bad enough if they simply poisoned him but he cried out in agony as he felt them burrow their way into his body through the wounds they tore into him. His existence was pain and suffering, dropping to the ground and writhing as dozens of them forced their way into his body. One of his claws reached out and scraped at the floor but it did nothing to ease his torment. Before long they had all taken up residence inside of him and he felt like his blood was made of fire. He felt sick. Very sick. So sick that he had to get up on shaky arms and brace himself as he lost his lunch right there. Only instead of food, he threw up a crimson substance. Blood. His blood. By itself, the red fluid continued to expand around him, drenching his hands and knees, growing wider still until it was all he could see from his hunched position. Just when he thought it couldn't get any worse, a single eye poked out from his own blood. Followed by another. Then another. One by one, eyes continued to pop out of the surface of his blood, staring at him and blinking erratically. He tried to get away but a pair of red, clawed arms burst out after him and held his throat tight, preventing his escape and violently pulled him back.

The suffering pokémon thought he was going to be slammed into the floor but instead, he fell into the puddle of crimson liquid as if it were a deep pool. Black was replaced with red as he struggled against the arms, the blood stinging his eyes that remained open in desperation. The hands clenched around his throat continued to pull him deeper into the depths, feeling like he would soon suffocate, until a splash was heard and he felt himself fall onto a solid surface. He coughed as he got up, trying to regain his bearings. His eyes looked left and right as he tried to focus. He was in a forest this time. He floated up and pressed on, looking for an exit, any exit from this world. The forest was dark, though not as dark as the first area, that much he was thankful for. What he wasn't thankful for were the red eyes that glared at him from the shrubbery and holes in trees. Whatever they were, they didn't attack him, however, the looks they gave him were so intense that they physically hurt his skin. He had to get away. He flew ahead of himself as fast as he could, the eyes becoming fewer while a light in the distance became more visible the closer he got to it. It must be a way out... Has to be a way out. He'd take his chances with anything. Dark gave way to light and despair gave way to hope. As he reached the light, however, it suddenly vanished like it wasn't even there to start and he was pulled down by a powerful gravitational force. He fell and fell and fell... Until he hit the ground. He cried out in pain again, not knowing how much more his body could take. He shakily got up and looked around. Everything was dark again. It wasn't fair. He was so close to the light this time... He almost made it... But he failed. He deliriously pressed forward, trying to find a way out... Then he heard hisses... They were back.

"No..."

The hisses got louder despite his protests, quickly closing in on him.

"Get away..." He tiredly swatted his arms at the darkness. "Stay away from me!"

They didn't listen, just like all the times this happened. He could only ready himself for what was coming next, resigning to his fate. With cruel fangs bared, they struck for the umpteenth time.

* * *

Mirage Island

Darkrai watched Mew in silence. The other critters curiously doing so with him. Mew floated a few inches off the ground, eyes closed in concentration. Two Pachirisu were perched on his shoulders, a flock of Taillow circled above them and some Rattata scampered all around. The rest were in other locations on the island doing whatever. They had been monitoring the psychic type for a good eight minutes, wondering whether or not it was making any progress in its silent endeavor. A few more seconds passed until Mew finally opened its eyes.

"Well?" The dark type asked expectantly.

"Found him."

"Where?"

"Exactly where you said he was."

"Some Arceus-forsaken ditch in the Spirit Peaks." Darkrai spoke dismissively.

Mew floated higher and stretched with a vertical twirl. "You sure did a number on him. I read his mind too. He's suffering quite a bit. By the looks of things, he's been out cold for a few days now."

"Hm. I will admit, your telepathy is quite something else for you to be able to locate Thundurus from all the way out here."

"But of course." Mew grinned. "After all, my psychic ability allows me to continuously move an island, yet still have more than enough energy left over. I mean, do I look like an Abra to you?"

"Not anymore."

Mew paused for a moment and then giggled at Darkrai. "So you do have jokes."

"In what way was that a-"

"Boop." The psychic type silenced Darkrai by poking his forehead with one of its tiny fingers. With a smile, Mew glowed and transformed into a Kadabra.

"Are you going somewhere?"

"To rescue Thundurus. That's the reason I was searching for him telepathically in the first place."

"Isn't he the lucky one..."

"I think his punishment has gone on long enough. Besides, I may be the only one that knows his exact location. I if I don't make an effort, who will?"

"Landorus?"

"Rhetorical question." The Mew-turned-Kadabra took a few steps back in preparation of its departure. "I'll be back soon, guys. Take care of him."

The gathered critters nodded their heads. The Pachirisu on his shoulders affectionately rubbed up against the dark type.

"Those two have really taken a liking to you."

"I've taken a liking to them as well." He reached up and gently rubbed one of their heads, earning him a happy laugh and a lick on his cheek.

"Awwww..." The sound Mew made would have been cuter if it wasn't masquerading as a the Psi Pokémon. "Well, see ya!"

Mew turned to leave as they waved their goodbyes but stopped and looked Darkrai up and down while tilting its head. "So you're just gonna float there the whole time?"

"Don't worry. Staying in a single spot is something I'm good at."

"That's not funny, Darkrai. It's creepy."

"It would help if you stopped interpreting the things I say as humor."

"You raise a valid point but I'm going to ignore you. See you soon!" With a flash, Mew was gone.

Darkrai sighed and closed his eyes, the wind blowing his hair and body trails around. Some of the little pokémon fell asleep near him to pass the time. He had to give it to Mew. The psychic type held more compassion for their fellow pokémon than anyone else he met, wild or otherwise. The same kind of compassion that led to him becoming a residence on Mirage Island. Thundurus should consider himself lucky. Most wouldn't think anything about the well-being of pokémon that openly caused trouble for others... Himself included.

* * *

Spirit Peaks - Great Valley

Warping in, Mew, disguised as a Kadabra, quickly got to work. The psychic type flew down the rocky terrain and made its way into a chasm not far from its location.

"It was somewhere here..." The disguised Legendary Pokémon used Flash, illuminating the way downward until meeting the bottom.

Looking around, Mew proceeded down the crevice, eventually sensing a faint presence. In no time at all, the yellow pokémon found who it was looking for. Thundurus, laying on the rocky floor, heavily wounded with laboured breathing. Staying unconscious for this long must have been really bad for both his mind and body, the psychic type figured. Something needed to be done. Covering itself in light, the New Species Pokémon transformed into a Florges. Lavender-colored flowers, just because. Mew clasped its hands together and used Aromatherapy, the sweet, healing mist permeating within the crevice. The effect was instantaneous, Thundurus' rapid breathing settling down to a normal rate as the effects of Bad Dreams were expelled from his mind. Done with that, Mew used Wish, glimmering stars of healing enveloping the electric type's body and, after a short wait, fixing up all his wounds and mending any broken bones. Mew smiled at its work once everything was done, proud of itself and glad it could help before it was too late.

"There. Now isn't that better?" The legendary psychic type covered its mouth and pretended Thundurus spoke back. 'Much better, thanks! Feeling terrific! You're so awesome and nice and kind and thoughtful and every positive thing I can't think of at the moment!' The psychic type giggled to itself. "Why, thank you, Thundurus. I am all those things, aren't I?" Mew smiled brightly before turning serious. "Honestly. What were you thinking? Challenging Darkrai like that... Have you not heard the stories? You could have ended up dead if I hadn't bothered to rescue you. I hope you've learned your lesson."

Thundurus remained silent, sleeping soundly. Thanks to Aromatherapy, he should be waking any time now, only being delayed because of the extensive damage his body had taken. Mew sighed. "Let's get you out of here. I don't know where you live but I'll take you to the next best thing."

Transforming back into a Kadabra, Mew teleported them both out of the Spirit Peaks.

* * *

Abundant Shrine

One thing about the Seismic Highland that stood out the most was the small forested area that contrasted heavily with the rest of the rough terrain. Not that the Seismic Highland was completely devoid of plant life but compared to the Abundant Shrine, it may as well have been a wasteland. The fertile land allowed tall trees and vibrant green grass to make up the most of it, while in the centre of the forest was a small clearing with a makeshift, medium-sized wooden shrine, built by the collaborated effort of the Ground and Rock Realms and blessed by Landorus himself when he found out about it. Within and around the shrine lay Shards, Nuggets and other valuable rocks placed in tribute with the hope of great harvests for their fields. Some took it a step further by writing down their names on tags along with the names of their homes and placing them on the trees around the shrine. Tornadus hovered in front of the shrine, waiting for the return of the Abundance Pokémon, as instructed. The damage his body sustained had mostly healed up. Enough that he was able to fly freely again. One of the perks about being a Legendary Pokémon was that their bodies had abnormally high endurance compared to other pokémon. He had his arms folded casually when he heard the pokémon that had him on standby float in from above and took his place next to him.

"Is this where you live?" Tornadus asked, not moving from his spot.

"Not at all. This place was built in my honor many years back and at the time, I never even knew it existed."

"What compelled the Ground and Rock Realms to go this far for you?" Even though Tornadus didn't care much about the sentiment, he was still curious about it.

Landorus raised his head and recalled the circumstances that led to the creation of his shrine. "I wasn't always the caretaker of these lands. If you recall, the pokémon that made this part of the world was Groudon. He created the Seismic Highlands as a means for more land dwelling pokémon to have a place to live. Even now, he still is the Deity of the ground and rock types. While they had enough land mass to build their kingdom, Groudon's Drought ability made it difficult for them to grow any food. Knowing this, Groudon asked for my service in making the land fertile enough for crops to be grown and left me in charge as he retreated to the depths of the ocean, making sure his ability never destroyed what he had created. I didn't have to but, as a Legendary Pokémon, I had an obligation to continue using my power and fertilize the fields of the Earth Pokémon. I had to do my part in making this world habitable for the good of all pokémonkind. Before I knew it, they created this shrine to thank me for my support."

Tornadus continued to observed the shrine in front of him. "And the precious rocks? What do you do with them?"

"I put them back in the ground." The ground type shrugged. "I have no use for them. I'm just glad for their gratefulness. Being respected is much better than being feared. You should try it sometime."

"I'd much rather be feared."

"How did that work out for you?"

Tornadus shot a glare as he turned to the Abundance Pokémon but didn't say anything on the matter. "So what next?"

"Make it rain."

"What?"

"I need you to make it rain above the Seismic Highlands. I did my part to help rejuvenate the land, now you do yours."

"You're putting me on gardening duty?" The flying type incredulously asked.

"Indeed, I am. Be glad I'm not making you wear an apron. You need to at the very least undo some of the damage you caused."

"What are you talking about? The dragons are the ones that damaged this land."

"And as Legendary Pokémon, we have to set an example by correcting their error. Now be off." Landorus shooed his peer with a flick of his wrist. "Please, don't try anything funny."

"I'll keep that in mind." Tornadus replied with a gruff tone before taking off to the skies to carry out his command.

Landorus sighed when Tornadus left, now alone in the clearing. Searching for Thundurus had yielded no results so far. Not only could he have been anywhere but the ground type found it odd that there was no recent activity from the Bolt Strike Pokémon. Crossing his arms, he prepared to resume his search for the electric type legendary. Someone had to. It's not like he was just going to drop in by himself.

No sooner after that thought, Landorus heard a noise followed by the sudden presence of another pokémon, making him turn fast and catch the final moments of a Kadabra teleporting in. A Kadabra being here in his forest was strange enough by itself but even stranger was the pokémon he spent a whole day and night looking for, Thundurus, was right there at its feet.

"Greetings!" The Kadabra spoke and pointed at Thundurus with its spoon. "I believe this is yours?"

The ground type looked at his electric peer on the ground, several questions filling his mind but deciding to start easy. "What happened?"

"He... Took a beating after provoking the wrong pokémon. He got laid out for days."

"He doesn't look any worse for wear from where I'm standing." He briefly looked down at himself. "Metaphorically speaking."

"I healed him. You're welcome."

"You healed him? How? I thought Kadabra could only heal themselves, not others? Are you from the Psychic Realm? What could have done this to-"

"All those questions aren't important. I'm not a messenger boy. I'm a delivery boy." The Kadabra took a few steps back. "All the important questions can be answered by your friend here when he wakes up. I will say this; keep a better eye on him. He almost got himself killed." And with that, the Kadabra left the clearing via teleportation.

Landorus stared down at the prone Legendary Pokémon, wondering what kind of trouble he got himself in. Just when the ground type questioned how long it would take for Thundurus to regain consciousness, the electric type's eyes flew open. He got up quickly, eyes darting around, not yet noticing Landorus even though he was right in front of him.

"Easy there, Thundurus. Tell me what happ-"

Thundurus head snapped up in alarm and he started releasing arching bolts of electricity at what he confused as his aggressor. Being part ground type, they did absolutely nothing to Landorus.

"Thundurus, calm dow-"

"Get back! Get away from me!" Thundurus continued to let the attacks fly, some rampant strikes scorching parts of the ground and some nearby trees. Something Landorus didn't appreciate.

Landorus tackled the hysterical pokémon, pinning him against a tree by bracing his forearm against his chest. Up close, he noticed that the Bolt Strike Pokémon's eyes held no malice like he thought. They held desperation and the ground type could only wonder why. With his other arm, the ground type removed and held up the Reveal Glass to Thundurus' eye level. Not given much of a choice, the electric type was forced to look into it, seeing the reflection of his original form staring back at him from the surface of the mirror. The Abundance Pokémon moved back and watched as Thundurus' body reverted back to its Incarnate Form in a shimmering gleam of light. Done transforming, the electric type held his hand up to his chest, taking deep breaths to calm his breathing and heart rate. He looked up and saw Landorus staring back at him with a raised eyebrow.

"So... You want to tell me what happened?"

* * *

Fairy Realm - Flora's Library

The Boundary Pokémon, Kyurem, had not always been the under-powered ruler of ice types. There was a time when its power nearly rivaled Arceus himself, ranking above even the Creation Trio; Dialga, Palkia and Giratina. An elite among Legendary Pokémon. At the time, before most Legendary Pokémon settled on the mainland, Kyurem had planned to take over the as-of-then nameless Volcanic Summit as sovereign of the dragon types. He had many ideas on how to raise it but most of those ideas would always contradict each other. He wanted an ideal kingdom where his brood could live free but the truth of the matter was that every kingdom needed a set of rules in order to function and not destroy itself from the inside out in the ensuing anarchy. Day in, day out, Kyurem flew through the sky across the world, hoping to have a definite solution on how to achieve the perfect nesting ground for his future subjects. It got to the point that he started obsessing over the smallest, most minute details and forcing himself to start from square one each time. Parts of him wanted one thing, while a different part wanted the exact opposite. This persistent and stubborn attention to detail eventually led to him developing split personalities that would wage arguments within his own mind whenever he tried to come up with a growth plan. Sometimes it was hard to tell what he was really thinking. Days continued to pass, the voices in his mind getting more violent as time went by. He eventually started to experience excruciating migraines as a result of his inner turmoil and the voices started speaking to each other on their own volition. It all came to a halt, however, when he felt that his mind simply could not take any more strain and the voices, now with apparent wills of their own, quite literally separated from him and took on physical forms of their own. The Vast White Pokémon, Reshiram, representing Truths and the Deep Black Pokémon, Zekrom, representing Ideals.

On their birth, the two dragons instantly waged battle against each other for days on end, the stakes being whomever won would be fit to create the Dragon Realm as they saw fit but they both found themselves to be equally matched and their battle did more harm to the mainland than good. Because of this, the two dragons came to a truce. Neither would trifle in the affairs of dragons and would instead create their own kingdoms independent of one another. Reshiram created the Fire Realm and Zekrom created the Electric Realm. The title of ruler of the Dragon Realm would eventually go to Rayquaza.

...And Kyurem, no longer being able to fly, owing to his weakened state from the forced separation, fell to the Blizzard Peaks.

Injured from the fall and desperate for energy, he attacked and ate any pokémon he could find in the snowy fields before taking refuge deep within the icy mountain's caverns. The pokémon there were cautious and fearful of him but he did not attack them. Instead, he struck a deal with them. They would continue bringing him sacrifices, ice type or not, to consume in the hopes of restoring his body and he would provide them with protection from any and all intruders, having the entire mountain to themselves under his watch. They agreed and with that, the Ice Realm was born. Kyurem used his new ability 'Glaciate,' sometimes translated as 'Frozen World,' to create an endless blizzard around the entire mountain that only ice types could traverse. Any non-ice pokémon to attempt would be frozen solid and torn apart on contact. Kyurem continues to devour and dream, hoping that, one day, he would return to his prime.

Angel was placing the book in her bag as Sylvia stretched on the floor, ready to leave.

"Quite a story." The Sylveon commented.

"Yeah..."

"Three dragons used to be one even bigger dragon. Who knew?"

"Yeah."

"Ready to leave?"

"Yeah."

"Let's go." Sylvia held Angel's arm with her ribbon and led her out of the library, making sure to bid farewell to Flora who was back on the front desk.

The two friends walked out into the loose crowds of their home with no real destination in mind. They had a lot of free time and it was a good day. Even enjoying the great weather like this brought them some form of comfort.

"Know where Gallant is?" Sylvia asked.

"Training Hold."

"Looks like it's gonna be one of those days where he spends every waking hour training."

"He just evolved. You saw how excited he was when it happened. The emotions coming from all of them was almost overwhelming."

"I wonder..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think you can ever go into sensory overload if, like, say the entire Fairy Realm all got happy or sad at once?"

"I... Hmmm..." The Emotion Pokémon looked down in thought. "I've never thought about it before. Why do you think of these things?"

"Because I'm awesome."

Angel looked at the Eeveelution curiously. What kind of an answer was that?

"What? Are you not saying I'm awesome?"

"No, I'm not saying that."

"Oh! Say it! Say I'm awesome."

"You're awesome." Her expression didn't even change.

"Come on, say... Huh? You actually said it. Aw, you're no fun. I wanted to tease you a little."

"Yeah, I know."

Sylvia smirked. "I need to step up my game." She walked with Angel towards one of the fountains and took a drink from it.

"Aaahhh... Oh yeah, that hit the spot." She looked down at the surface of the clear water and their reflections looked back. "It's great to be alive, isn't it Angel?"

The Kirlia gave her a quizzical look, wondering what she was getting at.

"All those scary things in that book and all the scary things happening outside..." She turned to her friend with a genuinely warm smile. "I'm really glad we have such a peaceful place to call home. We could have had it bad but life is good."

"We have Lord Xerneas to thank for that." Angel smiled.

"Hey, you're right."

"Huh?"

"We should go thank Lord Xerneas. Right now! Maybe say hi to Miss Fleur while we're at it. Come on, come on!" Sylvia wiggled her toosh, urging Angel to get on.

Hesitating for just a moment, Angel gladly did so, sitting comfortably on her friend's back.

"Ready?"

"Just don't run too fast."

"Relax, girl, I won't."

"Then yeah, I'm ready."

"Okay! And away we go!" Sylvia jogged down a marked path, en route to the Life Tree to pay worship to their beloved Xerneas. Great time to be alive, indeed.

* * *

Pokémon Settlement - Afternoon

The Pokémon Settlement. The awe-inspiring meeting ground for pokémon from around the world. The largest stronghold in all the lands that offered the ultimate security and all kinds of services; business or leisure. Gates always welcoming to all pokémonkind. Two dragons were making good use of the settlement's revered hospitality, walking freely along one of its many streets. One of them wore the settlement's means of identification around his neck as he walked side by side with the pokémon he was escorting.

"So this is the wonderful and whimsical Pokémon Settlement." The light blue dragon grumpily observed. "Is every pokémon here this rude?"

She was referring to the stares some of the pokémon were giving them as they walked by.

"Just ignore them. It isn't everyday that dragons come here, after all. It could be they're just anxious. Considering..."

"Considering what?"

"Your behavior in the Seismic Highlands."

"Hmph. What, are these weaklings waiting for an apology?" Calamity gruffly stated.

"It might help but I know that would be asking too much from you."

"I wanted to go hunting with Sordid. Why did you stop me?"

"You said it yourself that that you were curious about this place." Bahamut pointed out.

"If only I had known that this place would be so boring."

"I know you like tearing things up with Sordid but I can't bring him here."

"Why not?"

The Garchomp gave her a flat look.

"Well? Why not?"

Wha... She really saw nothing wrong with what she was asking? "Because he's violent, Calamity. Very violent."

"So am I."

"Yeah but at least you're usually in the right mind. Sordid will kill and eat anything that moves." Bahamut raised a claw in declaration. "Let's be glad he isn't wild."

"I was wild." The Salamence reminded.

"Yes, I remember. No matter how many times I laid you out, you kept coming back to try and kill me."

Calamity smiled as she recalled her murder attempts on Bahamut. "Good times."

"Well... We did get to put all those Druddigon in their place." Bahamut laughed a little.

Calamity gave a sincere smile, the memory of her meeting with Bahamut being one she was fond of. Unfortunately, her happy reminiscing was put to a halt when a Zigzagoon accidentally bumped into her.

"Sorry. I should have paid more-"

"Watch were you're walking, whelp!" She bared her fangs.

"Aah! I-I'm sorry!" The small mammal pokémon ran from her.

The Linoone that was next to it watched its friend go and was going to ask for an apology on its behalf but as the normal type looked up into the Salamence's piercing eyes, it quickly realized that such an idea was ill thought out. It ran and joined up with the fleeing Zigzagoon.

"Ugh... I loathe being sullied by the paws of weak-willed pokémon."

"What you need to do is chill, Calamity." Bahamut sighed, noticing the looks they were receiving.

"You would suggest I expose myself to the cold!?"

"No, I mean I want you to relax a little. Look, just come with me." The dragon motioned for her to follow.

The two dragons lifted off the ground and flew towards the outer ring of the Northern District. He knew of a place populated by friendly pokémon where they could get some food and a drink. They covered a bit more distance before reaching their destination. The Comfort Inn.

"What is this structure?" She asked as she landed with a heavy thump.

"A place were pokémon stay for the night or more depending on how long they're visiting."

"So pokémon don't actually live here."

"The ones that live in the settlement have their own homes within the inner ring. This is usually reserved for travelers. That's why it's so close to one of the main gates."

"Will we be requiring lodgings? I do not want to stay here any longer than I have to."

"No. This place also has a tavern were we can get some food. Let's head in."

The two pokémon walked through the doors, Calamity noticing how large they were.

"The passage ways are quite large for a holding."

"That's so that most pokémon can be accommodated. As long as it's not too big like an Onix, pokémon are under no pressure of being cramped. Everything in the Pokémon Settlement is huge for that reason."

"So I noticed."

They walked towards the reception's counter, a Chansey greeting them with a friendly smile.

"How do you do?"

"Fine and you?" Bahamut replied.

"Just peachy. Will you be staying with us?"

"Oh, no. We would like to use your bar, if it's not too much trouble?"

"No trouble at all. The Comfort Inn's Berry Juice Bar is always open for everyone. Please, make yourselves at home."

"Thank you. Let's go Calamity."

"Ho-hum."

The two dragons made their way into the spacious bar, greeted by the sounds of various kinds of pokémon chatting amongst themselves. They found an empty table and settled down, Calamity didn't have any use for seats as she was a quadruped. Bahamut's tail was too large for the seats so he stood as well. After a short wait, they were approached by a Lopunny with a red bow-tie around her neck.

"Hey, y'all! Welcome to the Berry Juice Bar! What can I get ya?" She placed a hand on her hip and offered a saucy smile to the dragons.

"Two large plates of Lava Cookies and two orders of Berry Juice. In bowls, please. As you can see, we aren't exactly pokémon of much dexterity." Bahamut held up his claws.

"Of course! No sweat! Comin' right up!" She gave a spin and got to work.

Calamity looked around in the mean time. Gazing up she saw a an open skylight which some flying types used as an exit. She beat her own wings, wanting to fly just because. It's something she loved doing ever since she got her wings. One of her joys of being a Salamence. She would have continued to daydream but, after only a short wait, their food had arrived.

"There you go! A mountain of Lava Cookies for two! Enjoy your meals <3!" She bowed with the serving tray in her paws and left.

"She's loud." Calamity complained.

"I'm sure it's just for the job."

"Whatever." In one move, Calamity scooped up all the contents of her plate. She initially thought nothing of her meal but as the cookies tickled her taste buds, her eyes widened and her cheeks reddened. The way the bits and crumbs broke down to mush, filling every corner of her mouth with a rejuvenating, sweet taste. And don't get her started on the aftertaste.

"Good, right?" Bahamut was almost done chomping down his own meal.

She swallowed and stared ahead of herself, not focusing on anything in particular. Then she turned to face him with a glare. "Bahamut... Why do we not have these delicacies back home!?"

"Like them that much, huh? I can buy some more for you if you-"

"Yes! Please do!"

The Garchomp chuckled. "I'm glad you've found something you really enjoy. This trip wasn't such a waste, after all."

Calamity tried to hide an honest smile. "It is quite delicious, I'll admit. Pity I devoured it all at once like that. Had I known, I could have at least savored it. I... Could have..."

Bahamut paused in his meal and watched Calamity go from content to agitated. "Something wrong?"

She inhaled deeply and growled. "I smell them."

"Smell who?"

"The stench of burning pokémon." She faced the direction the scent was coming from.

Bahamut watched as Calamity stomped her way around the tables toward wherever. He sighed, wondering what her problem was this time. He followed after her to make sure she didn't get herself into any trouble.

"She didn't even drink her Berry Juice."

Calamity maneuvered around the furniture and pokémon before standing imposingly in front of a table occupied by three fire types, one of them infuriatingly familiar. They didn't notice her approaching, the Infernape yammering on about some inane story.

"So I says to him, I says-"

"You!"

Scorcher and his teammates' heads snapped toward the sudden source of the voice.

"Ummmmm... Hi?" Scorcher awkwardly greeted, placing his arms on the table and leaning forward. "Have we met?"

"You." She glowered at the Blaziken, Jetstream. He just glanced at her while sipping his drink.

"What?"

"Why are you so strong?" Straight to the point. "Why... Why did a powerful pokémon like myself lose to you? How did you get so strong!?"

"Do you mind? We're trying to eat. And you're making a scene." Came Jetstream's reply.

"This your ex-girlfriend, Jetstream?" Aiden joked. It earned him a deadpan look from the Blaziken and a chuckle from Scorcher.

"Tch." The Salamence dug her claws into the stone tiles of the floor in irritation.

"Easy, Calamity." Bahamut scolded as he strolled up to her side. "Forgive her. She's not good with conversation."

"No shit." Aiden grumbled while taking a bite of his rice cake.

Bahamut blinked at the Charmeleon, surprised by what he just said. With a shake of his head, he spoke. "Sorry for the intrusion. Let me give a proper introduction. My name is Bahamut."

"Killer name." Scorcher gave a thumbs up.

"Thank you. And my partner here is-"

"Calamity." Jetstream finished. "Yeah, I remember."

"Ooooohhh, so this is Calamity?" Aiden pointed at the Salamence. "That crazy female dragon you told us was with the Hydreigon?"

After  hearing that comment, the ground type finally put two and two together. "You must be the fire types Calamity told me about."

"The one and only Team Blaze." Scorcher snapped his fingers. "At your service. Well... Not right now. We're gonna be off duty for a little while."

"No thanks to your nut-job friends. Attacking the Seismic Highland like they own the place." Aiden glared. "Now I can't take on any jobs until my arm fully heals. It sucks. Oh, and it was bad for mining duties or something..."

The Garchomp stared at the young Charmeleon again and only then noticed the sling his arm was in. "I'm guessing my fellow dragons are responsible for your injuries. If it's an apology you're after, you'll have to take it up with Sordid and Calamity."

"I'm not looking for an apology." Aiden dug his claws into the surface of the table.

"That's good. I don't think either of them would ever give you one. Is Sordid the one that did that to your arm?"

Aiden smirked. "Yes but it's nothing compared to what we did to him in return." He shared a fist bump with the Infernape.

"I refuse to believe a little ruffian like yourself went head to heads with Sordid." Calamity finally spoke. "You lie."

"What? You think that I busted my own arm just to get attention? Maybe you guys aren't nearly as powerful as your inflated egos lead you to believe, how about that?"

Bahamut gave a small chuckle.

The Salamence, on the other claw, growled down at the fire type. "Watch your tone with me, whelp."

"Or what?"

"Knock it off, Aiden." Jetstream held the Charmeleon's shoulder and faced Calamity himself. "You're not here to pick another fight with us, are you? While it's true that every pokémon is welcome here, as a Guild member, I'm still obligated to throw you over the walls at the first sign of enmity. What is it you want from us?"

Calamity held his glare with her own. "I want to know... Just what it is that makes you strong." As a pokémon that lived for fighting, she truly was curious about their strength and where it came from.

"That's simple." Calamity waited patiently for his answer. "My friends and family."

"Is that a joke?" The Salamence narrowed her eyes like she was getting irritated. "I'm being serious here."

"So am I. I get that you want to think I train everyday until my body can't take anymore or that I got some special power up some time in the past but it's nothing like that. I have a home and friends, and pokémon to protect. I have things that are worth dying for. Things I can't afford to lose. Those things are what drive us to fight as hard as we can. And there's no way a pokémon that simply gets off on fighting will ever be able to beat us. It's not just us. Everyone in this room fights for more or less the same reason. We have a driving motive, you don't. That's all there is to it." Jetstream placed the money for his team's meal on the table and all three of them shuffled out of their seats to the exit.

As he passed by the Salamence, Aiden had one last thing to say to her. "Since you got your tail kicked by Jetstream, it'll be imperative of you to take his advice."

"Silence, you annoying little lizard." She snarled.

"Kiss my ass, dragon. And tell that Sordid pal of yours to kiss my ass too when you meet him." Aiden flipped her off as he left the bar.

"Tch." Calamity withheld herself from attacking him, not wanting to cause any problems for Bahamut. She closed her eyes in thought, processing what she was told. Fighting not for oneself but for the sake of someone or something important to you. She looked up at the Garchomp and he looked back.

"How are you enjoying your time here so far? Do you think you learned anyth-"

"We're leaving." Calamity spread her wings and made her exit using the open skylight.

"One step at a time, Calamity. As long as you're learning, I don't care how long it takes." Bahamut smirked and followed after her but not before leaving payment for their unfinished meals.

With the commotion over, the remaining patrons went back to their food and stories.

* * *

Fairy Realm - Evening

Gallant, Intrepid and Valor walked out of the Training Hold, wearing their bruises with pride. Their whole day had been spent training so they could quickly get used to fighting in their new bodies. Other pokémon vacated along with them, eager to return to their homes after a good work out. Edge, Resolute and Stalwart had remained behind to do an inventory check of the equipment, leaving just the three of them to chat.

"No, see, a hyperbole is when you exaggerate a hypothetical situation to try and get a point across." Valor explained. "So when Intrepid says he feels 'strong enough to beat down six Zangoose' it doesn't count as a hyperbole because I'm pretty sure he actually can."

"So when I said I feel like I can beat ten dragons..." Gallant started.

"That's a hyperbole because it's just not reasonably true."

"What if I can, though? What if they're like really weak, tiny dragons?"

"Then I would question what you're doing fighting tiny dragons when you could be fighting one big one."

"I bet he'd get blown up real quick." Intrepid laughed.

"Okay, yeah I exaggerated a bit. But I really do feel stronger. We've come a long way since needing each other's help just to take down one Vigoroth."

"Ah, I remember that." Valor smiled. "You made one swallow the rancid contents of that vial. Whoo, that smell was so bad even its allies bailed on it. Do you think its carcass is still in the Brilliant Meadow?"

"Uno momento." Intrepid held up a finger and teleported.

Gallant and Valor stopped walking, wondering what their friend was up to. They didn't have to wonder for long, however, as after a few seconds, he was back.

"It's still there."

"Whoa really!? Nice!" Gallant and Valor high-fived (or threed) each other.

"Yeah. I imagine there are pokémon that would like to remove it but the smell, dude. The smell just won't let them."

"I sure got my money's worth." Gallant stated. "Redolence makes some quality stuff."

"Speaking of..." Intrepid pointed in front of them.

There, in front of a lone tree, stood the talented Aromatisse, Redolence. She was engaged in conversation with a Togetic. They couldn't hear what was being said but by the looks of things, it wasn't good. The Togetic bowed at Redolence and took off. Redolence looked disappointed but waved after the Togetic nonetheless. The three Gallade looked at one another and approached her to find out what the problem was and whether they could help.

"Redolence." Gallant called out to her.

"Hmm? Oh, well hello there Gallant, Valor, Intrepid." She nodded at each of them. "Don't you boys look snazzy with your evolutions."

"Hey, Redolence." Valor greeted. "How have you been?"

"Very well, thank you." She offered one of her eye smiles.

"We couldn't help but notice you were upset." Intrepid started. "Sorry for intruding, it's just how our power works. Something the matter?"

"Don't fret yourselves, my lovelies." She waved them off. "It's not anything too serious."

"Mind telling us about it?" Gallant asked.

"I suppose I could." She beckoned them with her finger to follow her. "Let us talk in my store. Where it's more private."

"Oh, you don't have to walk, Redolence. We can take you there." Intrepid teleported all four of them to her specified location.

With a flash, they were gone from the open and reappeared in her incense shop.

"Ta-da!"

"Oh." Redolence looked around. "How convenient."

"You're getting good at that." Gallant complimented his friend. He was referring to Intrepid's ability to warp multiple objects or pokémon at once.

"Ain't nothing but a thang." He replied.

"Yes, all very useful. Wait here a moment, dearies."

Redolence went into one of the rooms and returned with a tray of small glass jars. Lids kept them closed but lids themselves had open spaces in them.

"Incense pots?" Valor observed.

"Yes, indeed but this are different from the ones I usually make."

"How so?"

"Usually, these incense pots I create serve a definite purpose. Affecting performance in battle or creating an ambience for hopeful mates looking to conceive a child. These on the other hand are of no such use. They're completely recreational."

"So then they're not as useful as the others you make?" Gallant tilted his head.

"Ooohohoho! You say that now but..." Redolence lit a match, opened one of the jars, dropped it in and closed the lid. The flame burned the compound placed at the bottom of the jars, creating an exothermic reaction and releasing a mist that filtered out through the small holes in the lid. The mist wafted throughout the room and the scent created had an immediate reaction on the pokémon inhabiting it.

"Ooooooooohhh... That's nice..." Intrepid droned. "This may be the best smell I've ever smelled." A tear of joy rolled down from his eye.

"Isn't it marvelous?" Redolence held out her arms, enjoying the scent "This may be my best work yet."

"Will you be selling this, Redolence? You'd make a huge profit."

Redolence sighed. "That's the thing. My intention was to have Jubilee sell a few samples for me in the Pokémon Settlement so I could set up a system there. However, one of her Togetic informed me she hadn't yet returned. My only option now is to wait. The upside is that the compound I created takes a very long time to expire. Still, it would be better for my business if I could get them to the settlement sooner rather than later."

"I see... And you can't leave on your own because someone needs to run your shop." Valor assessed.

"Yes, that's correct."

"Well... What if we did it for you?"

"Oh, you silly boy." She giggled. "I appreciate the gesture but I can't have you running my store for me."

"No. I mean what if we sold your products in the Pokémon Settlement for you?"

"...Oh? Oh! You would do that? For me?" Redolence asked, surprised at the generous offer.

Gallant, Valor and Intrepid gave her reassuring smiles and she spun, ecstatic.

"Oh! Convenience!" She clapped her hands together. "This is exciting news, indeed! But... How will you get to the settlement by yourselves? And there's the issue of buying a permit before you can sell anything in there. Are you sure you boys can handle this?"

"Leave the logistics to us, Redolence." Gallant assured her. "If we can't make the trip, then we'll be your first customers."

"Oh, you sweet things, you. Doing all this for little ol' me." She blushed.

"Leave it to us. We're always happy to help. We'll have a definite answer for you by morning."

"I'll place my trust in you, then." She nodded.

"We'll see you tomorrow, Redolence. Good night."

"Good night, you three." She waved them off.

Walking out of her store, Gallant turned to Valor to question how to go about their plan.

"So how do we go about this plan? I could buy one of them from her but I really want her to achieve her dream. She's our friend and her products have saved us once already. I want to return the favor."

"Which is exactly why I offered." Valor winked at him. "As for the how..." He placed his hands on his friends' shoulders and warped them where they needed to be.

* * *

Fairy Realm - Training Hold

Edge just finished placing the last of the equipment in the storage room, having sent his last two students home some time ago. He sighed, stretching, ready to retire for the day since it was getting late. He looked around the room, double checking to see if anything was out of place. Finding nothing out of the ordinary, he prepared to head home. Just when he was about to give the word for the twin Klefki to lock up, three figures warped into the room. He blinked, wondering what his students could possibly want at this time.

"Isn't it a little late for training?"

"It's never too late for training but that's not why we're here." Valor replied.

"Why are you here then?"

"We want to borrow your Pokémon Settlement ID."

"What?"

"You know, that circular thing depicting a claw, paw and fin." Intrepid reminded.

"I know what you're talking about, my question is why do you want it all of a sudden?"

"We want to do a favor for Redolence that requires it." Gallant explained. "She has this new product she wants to sell in the Pokémon Settlement but Miss Jubilee isn't around... So we said we could try and help her."

"And now you're here hoping I'd say 'yes' because you already promised Redolence, right?" He rolled his eyes. "You're being too impulsive. What if I say no?"

"We figured that would be a possibility but we were also hoping you'd see where we're coming from. We honestly want to help her in any way we could."

Edge inspected each of his students. It appeared they were serious about this. He had to admit, their desire to get strong not just for themselves but also for the sake of others is what he liked most about them. However, he remained indifferent.

"One condition."

His students looked at him, waiting for what he'd say next.

"Try and knock my down." He stated.

"What?" All three of them asked.

"If you can knock me down even once, I'll allow you to use my identification medal to enter the Pokémon Settlement."

The three young Gallade looked amongst themselves before turning back toward their mentor.

"That's all?" Valor asked.

"Yes. Come. Show me how much you've grown. Right here. Right now." He beckoned them with his hand, showing he wasn't kidding.

"If that's how it is..." Gallant smiled, eager to test his might against his instructor in an all out battle. "Then I guess it can't be helped!"

Gallant extended his blades and made a full sprint at Edge who stood straight in wait. Gallant got within striking range and warped at the last second, appearing behind the older Gallade and raising his leg in preparation of a back kick. Edge reacted by kicking his heel back against the leg Gallant used to keep himself anchored to the ground, tripping him before turning and nailing him in the chest with the same type of kick he attempted. The air was knocked out of him and he was sent rolling along the floor. Valor and Intrepid were upon Edge on either side of his body, Valor going for a roundhouse kick while Intrepid attempted a Low Sweep. Edge jumped off the ground, performing a horizontal corkscrew flip, twisting his body around as their attacks went above and below him, respectively. Touching down, Edge blocked a follow up strike from Valor when he used the momentum of his spinning kick to put extra force into his blade swing. Their blades clashed loudly but Valor had no hope of overpowering the much more experienced Gallade. After parrying his strike, Edge grabbed Valor's arm and swung him around, using his own blade to block an attack from Intrepid as he rose up from the ground. The two blinked at each other in shock and Edge used their hesitation against them, kicking Intrepid in the stomach to stun him and pulling Valor back, twisting him around before tossing him into his ally, sending them both tumbling to the ground.

Having recovered, Gallant made for a straight line towards Edge, being more direct in his approach this time. He swung his blade against his instructor, followed by a spin and another swing, performing a blade dance in the hopes of getting past Edge's defense. Edge met him hit after hit, however, using only one of his blades to block and parry Gallant's aggressive swordplay. Sparks flew through the air with every collision, Edge taking light steps back as he kept Gallant's pressure in check, pretty much controlling their battle. With a battle cry, Gallant leaped up and came back down with an overhead strike of both his blades. Edge lifted his arm horizontally so the older pokémon blocked both his swords at the same time.

"Do it now!" Gallant called out to his allies.

Valor and Intrepid appeared on either side of him but at a safe distance. The both tapped into their latent fairy powers and their bodies begun to light up with energy.

Edge looked up at Gallant, raising his free arm and placing an open palm over his forehead. Gallant's eyes went wide as he was teleported against his will, appearing above and landing on Valor, breaking his focus as they fell to the ground yet again. Edge then cast Protect, surrounding himself in an impenetrable shield as Intrepid let rip with a Dazzling Gleam that lit up the room yet did nothing to bring any kind of harm to their instructor. When he finished, Intrepid looked up, noticing that Edge was gone from his vision. He looked around, turning and noticing too late Edge had warped behind him and was forced to suffer another kick to his midsection, landing on top of his recovering friends and sending them all to the ground for the final time.

"There's no way..." Gallant panted as he crouched up, bracing one arm against he knee in exhaustion. Not only was Edge far more capable than them, they were still fatigued from the day's worth of training.

"We aren't gonna beat him." Valor replied, sitting against the floor and tiredly leaning his head up.

"So... What does that mean?" Intrepid asked, kneeling on the floor.

"Guess it means we're Redolence's first customers. Wish we could have helped her more than this."

"Hm? You're all done?" Edge folded his arms. "I thought you really wanted to go to the settlement but you're quitting already?"

"We really do. But... We can't beat you. We couldn't meet your condition." Gallant shrugged, disappointed that they couldn't even land a hit on him. "We'll just have to find another way to show our support for Redolence."

"Yeah. It's not all bad, though. Redolence will still get the sale she wanted." Intrepid smiled as he got up. "And she can make the rest when Miss Jubilee returns."

Yeah, that is true. Sorry to trouble you, Edge." Valor bowed respectfully at their mentor. "Come on guys, let's go."

"Hold it."

The three friends watched Edge teleport to some unknown location then back a few seconds later.

"Here" Edge tossed Gallant what they came for; the Pokémon Settlement's medal of identification.

"I don't understand. We failed." The Gallade looked down at the item in his hand in confusion.

"This was never about the question of whether you would win. I just wanted you to know a little humility." Edge explained, walking closer to his students. "While I understand you're excited about new opportunities, you need to know your limitations. You need to be aware that there are just as many potential dangers waiting for you if you plan to expand your world. I wanted you to learn there's no shame in falling back and accepting your losses when you're met with an insurmountable obstacle. Just keep playing it smart and you'd be surprised at how much you'll grow." He placed a hand on Gallant's head and smiled. "I won't always be there to help, so I need to make sure you're always ready for what's in store. So I can be confident that my students are able to take care of themselves when I'm not around. Understand?"

They smiled and nodded.

"Good. Now scram, it's been a long day and my bed's calling my name."

They wasted no time in teleporting out of the Training Hold to go prepare for their trip in the morning and Edge laughed a little after they left.

"Show me what you can do, boys..." He closed his eyes and smirked, leaving the Training Hold with a distinct shimmer of light.

* * *

END CHAPTER

Author's Note: Thundurus' Nightmare is one I actually had and I decided to share it with the world. Hope you enjoyed.


	11. Start of an Odyssey

A group of seven pokémon stood gathered in front of the exit to the Fairy Realm. Three of them; Gallant, Valor and Intrepid each wore bags over their shoulders in preparation for their departure. Valor also held the straps of a duffel bag in his grip. The contents of which belonged to Redolence. Her incense jars, each in a padded box of their own within the bag so they didn't clang into one another and risk chipping or braking as well as small sachets containing her special compound. In front of the three soon to be traveling psychic types stood Edge, Resolute, Stalwart and Redolence herself, all of whom would be seeing the three hopefuls off.

"I can't thank you boys enough for doing this for me." Redolence smiled. "You have the instructions I gave you last night, yes?"

"All in here." Valor carefully raised and lowered the duffel bag. Besides the jars were also instructions the Aromatisse prepared, detailing what they needed to do when they reach the Pokémon Settlement.

"Splendid!" She clapped her hands together. "Make me proud, my lovelies."

"You can bet on that, Redolence." Gallant gave her an assuring smile.

"I guess we'll be seeing you." Intrepid said, playing with the Twisted Spoon around his neck. "It's funny. Felt like just yesterday when we were being escorted to the Pokémon Settlement for the first time."

"It's a shame we can't come with you." Resolute spoke.

"But there are opportunities for us here as well." Stalwart continued. "We're gonna enroll under Edge and become the Fairy Realm's next training instructors. We'll toughen up future fighters just like Edge did with us. Count on it."

They all shared smiles with each other. Edge took a moment to step closer to the departing Gallade.

"See you soon, boys. Take care of each other and please try not to get into too much trouble while you're there."

"Yes, sir!" They saluted him.

"Good. Now off you go."

The young fighting types smirked at their mentor and used Teleport to leave the Fairy Realm, the supportive smiles on their comrades' faces etched into their memories.

A flash of swirling light removed from their vision the image of the Fairy Realm's entrance and replaced it with a wide open field of healthy plant life. They stood on an open path above a hill overlooking the Pokémon Settlement's north-eastern gate. Gallant placed a hand into his bag and removed the medal of identification necessary to enter the titanic stronghold.

"Let's go, guys." He spoke with thinly veiled excitement.

Intrepid and Valor grinned next to him, the three friends starting down the route towards the massive steel gate.

* * *

Ice Realm

A lone Weavile stood in a large, spaced-out icy cavern, fresh blood dripping from his sharp claws. Ahead of him was a wide chasm that sloped slightly downwards into parts unknown, too dark to see. The elevation of the chasm's inner surface was safe enough to walk on but a single slip could send one sliding all the way to the bottom. At the Weavile's feet lay the body of a wild and formerly alive Beartic, blood leaking from a wound that had been carved into its soft, vulnerable belly as well as several minor ones slashed all around its body. Some of the crimson fluid expanded out to the edge of the chasm, creating a single, thin red line that trickled down the slope. The Weavile wore an expression of indifference as he looked down at the dead pokémon soon to be offered up as a meal. Licking the blood off the claws on his left hand, the Weavile unceremoniously kicked the Beartic's corpse down the slope where it rolled like a rag-doll into the darkness below.

Done, the ice type turned to leave through an opening behind him that led to a narrow pathway. The pathway was flanked by the ice sculptures of two Mamoswine. Although, upon further inspection, one could tell that the Mamoswine were not simple statues but instead actual pokémon that had been frozen eternally and preserved as decorations. As he walked, he absentmindedly heard a low growl, signifying the Beartic getting used as a form of nutrition for the ruler of the Ice Realm, Kyurem. A blast of cold air blew out from the chasm behind him, down the path he walked and to the rest of the Ice Realm. He must have enjoyed the meal, the Weavile figured. The cold air itself didn't bother him nor any of the ice types living in the mountain. He looked down and noticed the thick trail of blood from when he dragged his prey all the way from the snowy fields outside the Ice Realm to Kyurem's den deeper within. It'll clean itself... Eventually.

Exiting the ice-coated hallway, the Sharp Claw Pokémon made his way into the largest room in the mountain. The floor was cold, flat and mostly featureless if one ignored the blood stains. Stalactites hung from the very high up ceiling, though they were so frozen against it that there was no threat of them falling onto unsuspecting targets. A few stalagmites jutted out from the floor, spread apart enough that they wouldn't reduce the mobility of the larger pokémon living in the mountain. The walls were lined with many entrances that led to other parts of the mountain, making this a hub room of sorts. The Weavile entered an opening straight ahead of him, walking dauntlessly through the frozen pathway. Most of the Ice Realm was still asleep at this hour, the Weavile having awoken extra early in order to get a hunt in before he and a a few partners of his would be heading out to the Pokémon Settlement to make an exchange. With each passing minute, he got closer to the Ice Realm's main exit, eventually being able to make out the large cave opening along with the intense blizzard taking place right outside.

Five pokémon noticed him and watched him appraoch. Two Avalugg with unknown materials wrapped in a heavy canvas and tied to their backs. A pair of Froslass that floated close to each other. And a Glaceon who wore an even colder expression than him and had one of the Pokémon Settlement's identitification medallions worn around her neck. He stopped in front of the ice type Eeveelution and smiled down at her. She didn't return the sentiment but he was still convinced she was happy to see him.

"Good morning, Hailey." He smiled. "Good morning, Yuki and Onna. And good morning to you too, Berg and Avalanche."

"Good morning, Frostbite." The stoic Glaceon greeted.

"Good morning, Frost." The two Froslass spoke as one.

The Avalugg just nodded at him.

"Sorry I took so long. Carrying or should I say dragging a Beartic by myself is no joke. But anything to make Kyurem a happy little dragon, right?"

The Glaceon looked at one of his hands and noticed it still had some blood on it. Moving close and leaning down, she gingerly licked the remainder of the blood off his claws. He smiled.

"You normally don't appreciate the taste of blood." Frostbite commented.

"It tastes good on you." Hailey replied in monotone.

The frozen ghost pokémon smirked in amusement but one of the Avalugg just rolled his eyes at them.

"Are you two quite finished? We have a long trip to make."

Hailey looked back at him in annoyance and Frostbite stepped in front of her. "Sure, let's head out."

The Avalugg sighed in exasperation at their behavior, turned and stepped outside, the others following after him. The blizzard born from Kyurem's Glaciate did a good job of nearly tearing the carried contents off the heavy ice types' backs but the tailor-made canvas held strong. Within the canvas were raw materials and precious stones they would trade in the Pokémon Settlement for food and supplies. The Ice Realm's denizens would make trips like these once every two weeks, rationing their goods in between to ensure they would never run out of stock. That was pretty much the system of the Ice Realm: Buying resources from the Pokémon Settlement and offering up sacrifices to Kyurem to keep their protective layer going. It could have been better but they weren't going to complain. This was their home. It's been like this since the day Kyurem arrived and it would continue to be so for a long time.

* * *

Pokémon Settlement

"It's even better than last time."

"Check out how fast we're moving."

"The wind feels nice, too."

The visiting Gallade as well as a few other pokémon stood on a platform mounted on top of one of the transportation Onix's back. They watched the tall buildings on either side of them fly by as they were ferried to the business district of the Pokémon Settlement's outer ring, the wind resistance shaking their luggage slightly and offering them a cool and relaxing breeze. The Onix continued to trudge down its wide, open track for a few more minutes, gradually slowing down before coming to a complete stop next to a different platform where other pokémon were waiting.

"This is our stop, come on." Valor told his companions, the three of them stepping down the steps next to the Onix while others stepped up to get their turn.

The psychic types continued further down a different flight of stairs that led to one of the main streets. They turned a corner and walked along the wide road, dodging a few individuals in the loose crowds as they went and engaging in idle chatter to pass the time.

"How much farther are we from this place?" Intrepid inquired.

"According Redolence's notes, not too far." Valor reached into one of the duffel bag's pockets and pulled out a sheet of paper with written instructions. "The Onix transit drop-off point is apparently pretty close to the building. The note says we'll know when we see it."

"Does this building have a name?" Gallant asked.

"Um, yeah." Valor inspected the paper and his eyes furrowed in confusion. "The Business Bureau... of Business?"

"What?"

Valor held up the sheet of paper for his friends to read. Turns out, he wasn't making it up.

"That can't be its name." Gallant deadpanned.

"Uuuhhh..."

The two pokémon turned to Intrepid who was pointing at a building he was standing in front of. Comprised of three floors, clear windows, a decorative crystal globe on its roof and an arch above the large double doors, upon which lay emboldened letters that spelled 'Business Bureau of Business™.'

"I refuse to acknowledge this." Gallant told his friends.

"We're not here to judge."

"Maybe you're not. That's a stupid name."

"I think other pokémon can hear you."

"Good."

"Let's just go inside, alright?" Valor proceeded forward, stepping over the 'Welcome' mat and into the tall structure.

A few meters away from the door were a series of counters, behind which were Kecleon of various colors seeing to the needs of customers that stood in lines to wait their turn. Positioned against the left and right walls were benches taken up by pokémon that had visited the building for some reason or another. Decorative potted plants sat in each corner of the room and, finally, passing over the centre of the floor was a black carpet with gold edge trimming.

"Pretty fancy." Intrepid complimented.

"That's at least one thing about this place."

"Let it go, Gallant." Valor joined the line of the right-most counter behind a Lilligant. The other two Gallade stood behind him.

It didn't take long for the Lilligant to be serviced, happily stepping aside, some form of documentation in her leaves and joining with a Whimsicott on the other side of the room. Valor stepped on ahead and was welcomed by a blue Kecleon behind the counter.

"Good day! Please, how may I be of service?" The Kecleon greeted.

"Yes, um... We wanted to sell some wares here in the settlement but we were informed we needed to get a seller's permit from here before we could-"

"Say no more." The normal type placed a form on the counter in front of Valor. "Just fill this out and we'll proceed from there."

The three dual types skimmed through the contents, Valor using Psychic to manipulate a nearby quill in readiness of filling out what they were given.

"Names... Hmmm... Since this is a one-time thing for us, I guess we'll put our own names. Where we live? Uh huh. When we were born? Mm-hm. Past business experience? Gonna cross that out. Owner of the products being sold? Redolence."

"Wait. Won't it be confusing if we have our names at the top but put Redolence as the one owning the business?" Intrepid said in askance.

"I hope not. I don't want to have to fill this out again." Valor had already jotted down the Aromatisse's name. "Let's see, what next. Name of business? Uh huh. An estimate of our selling period? Just for today, really. Egg group? Why is that important? Well, whatever. Uh-huh. Yadda-yadda. Aaaaand looks like we're done."

"Excellent!" The Kecleon slammed a stamp on the filled-out form, making the three adolescent pokémon flinch from shock. "Since the selling period isn't anything extravagant, your security deposit comes down to a single Nugget."

Intrepid pulled a solid gold piece from his bag and placed it on the counter. Valor picked up their official proof of purchase and placed it in the duffel bag.

"One more thing." Valor spoke up.

"Yes?"

"Do you also have a stand where we can set up? Because we'd like to-"

"You're at the right place!"

Valor sighed in annoyance at getting interrupted agai-

"Since this is your first time here, we can set up a stand for you next to our building, free of charge in hopes that you continue doing business with us. Choker! Please set up a stand for these young gentlemon, here!" He clapped his hands. At his words, a Machoke burst out of the back room, carrying pieces of wood under one arm and a toolbox in the other. A few customers behind them stepped out of the way as the fighting type raced out of the building and got to work.

The three psychic types blinked in surprise at the scene that played out before them.

"Just a little promotion we have for first time clients in order to win their loyalty and attract potential customers." The Kecleon explained. "Next time you're here, you'll have to pay full price if you want to rent out a stand or one of our rooms. Thank you for visiting the Business Bureau of Business. Please, come again."

Gallant's right eye twitched and Intrepid grabbed his arm, dragging him out of the line and through the doors of the building before he could say anything on the matter. They found the Machoke to have already finished setting up their stand, twirling a hammer in one hand like some hot shot.

"You're welcome." He sauntered passed them and whistled a little tune, returning to his workplace.

He certainly had something to be proud of, they had to admit. The stand looked pretty good, the wooden surface clean and smooth, complete with its own awning to offer shade from sunlight or in the event of rain. The psychic types stepped behind the counter, Gallant and Intrepid standing beside Valor who placed he duffel bag on the ground and unzipped it. Slowly, he removed the ten incense jars, each within their designated box, and placed them side by side on display in an orderly fashion.

"Okay. Now we can finally start selling." Gallant smiled confidently.

"Do you have a sales pitch?" Valor asked.

"Hm?"

"Nobody's gonna come to us just because we've set up here. I doubt we look like professionals in the eyes of the masses. We need a way to attract customers."

"Then how's about a demonstration?"

"A demonstration? What do you have in mind?"

Gallant removed one of the jars from its box, held up his hand and a small blue flame formed in his palm. After that, he lifted one of the lids and dropped the flame into the jar. After closing it, the flame ignited the special compound and a visible pink mist began to seep from the small openings in the lid. Valor blinked at him.

"What was that?"

"Will-o-Wisp." Gallant informed.

"When did you learn that?"

"Some time before we evolved."

"When were you planning on telling us you could do that?"

"Does it matter?"

"Actually, yeah it does."

"How so?"

"How so? We're friends that trust each other. We're supposed to keep promises and share everything. That's what I thought, anyway." Valor complained.

"If that's true, why did you promise me we'd only train on the physical side then hit me with Dazzling Gleam, you damn hypocrite?"

"Oh come on... How many times do you want me to apologize?"

"Once would be nice."

"Right. I'm sorry."

"Are you, though?"

"Give me a break here..."

"You're the one that started this, Valor. Your misery is born from your own endeavors, not mine."

"You're the worst, Gallant!"

"I'M the worst!?"

Normally, Intrepid would have enjoyed his friends arguing like this but seeing as they were here because of a promise to Redolence, he eyed them in annoyance. A Blissey approached them, attracted by the scent of the incense and took an interest in what they were selling but after witnessing the two psychic types getting confrontational, she backed away and left. Intrepid slapped his palm against his forehead at this.

"Hey! Shut up, you guys!"

The two fighting types looked at him in shock, Gallant in the middle of shoving Valor who had one of his blades extended and ready to party.

"Your hilarious arguing is gonna ruin this for Redolence. What happens if you two get us thrown out? Have you already forgotten why we're here?"

They let go of each other and rubbed the back of their heads in embarrassment. Intrepid stepped in between the two of them.

"Sorry." They both said.

"Damn right, you're sorry. Step aside, let me try." He cleared his throat. "You there!"

He caught the attention of a passing Pangoro that glared at him.

"You seem like a reasonable fellow." Intrepid grinned. "How about you try out one of our products? You'd be surprised at how something so simple can brighten your day right up."

"Yeah, I'm kind of in a hurry." He gruffly replied and held up his paw in dismissal. "So if you don't mind I... I'll..." His thought process abruptly ended when the sweet smell wafted up into his nostrils. Like he was in a trance, he slowly walked up to the stand. "What are these?"

"Special incense jars, my good 'mon. Whether you're at home taking it easy after a long day or when you want to set the mood if you have someone over..." The young Gallade nudged his elbow at the air suggestively. "These things do the trick for you in any of those situations and helps you and anyone you're with relax. Don't believe me?"

Intrepid used his psychic power to further blow the mist at the dark type. The positive effect it was having on him was a tad bit obvious.

"Oh yeah."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah... How... How much are these?" He asked deliriously.

"One Nugget. They're on a special promotion right now and the price might change in the future. Get it while it's hot. Get it? Because there's a fire burning in there. On that note, do be careful on where you use it and how. It can be put out with a simple shake and be refilled with these special sachets." The psychic type leaned down, reached into the duffel back and presented a small, pink sachet filled with the new compound Redolence made. "These are a Pearl each. Don't limit a great experience to just one time. What do you say?"

"I'll take one jar and a sachet." The Pangoro placed a gold Nugget and Shards that added up to the value of a Pearl on the stand's flat surface.

"Here you go, sir. Enjoy it. Please be sure to spread the name 'Redolence of the Fairy Realm' if you or your friends ever plan on sending out requisition letters for more. That's the pokémon that makes these things. She's real talented and this product is only a fraction of what she can do." Intrepid politley handed him his purchases.

"I will, thank you." The fighting type held the two items up in his large paw and blithely sauntered off, mumbling as he did. "Kuroi will love this..."

Intrepid waved at the leaving Pangoro and gave his friends a triumphant smile. "That's how it's done."

They stared at him, flabbergasted.

"Where'd you learn to do that?" Gallant asked.

"My mother owns a shop back home. Learned from her. She's way better at it than I am, though."

"Well good job, Intrepid. You sold one easy." Valor praised.

"Damn straight, I did and I'm about to sell even more." Intrepid's smile widened.

"How?" Gallant tilted his head, curious about his ally's next approach.

Intrepid used his telekinesis to blow the pink mist from the ignited jar at Gallant, the sweet-smelling gas surrounding his body and leaving its scent on him.

"What are you-"

"Start walking." Intrepid instructed.

"What?"

"That way." He pointed down the street on their left. "Walk for ten minutes and come back. Please and thank you."

Gallant stared behind himself and back at Intrepid, wondering if he was kidding. He wasn't, unfortunately. The Gallade sighed and did what he was told, turning around and walking down the street, placing his hands behind his head in quick boredom.

"Why'd you send him away?" Valor looked at his friend as he disappeared into the crowds.

"I want to bait more customers. If the scent is as great as it is, it should get the attention of more pokémon. I'm using Gallant as a scent beacon."

"That's... Um... Creative?"

"Yup." Intrepid pulled out a small sack from his bag.

"Why do you eat those?"

"Told you. I like how they taste. And now that we're fighting types, they're good for my health too." He tossed a Roseli Berry in his mouth.

Valor was going to press the subject when he heard a slight scratching noise. He looked around and discovered it came from the front of the stand. Leaning forward, he noticed a Vaporeon scratching at the surface, too short for him to normally see by virtue of the water type being a quadruped. An Azumarill stood by the water type Eeveelution's side and smiled up at him.

"May I help you?"

"Yah, you totally can! So Seabreeze and I were, like, strolling down the street talking about how awesome water types are, which they are and we smelled this gnarly smell. Are you, like, selling some perfume or whatever?" The Vaporeon inquired with her distinctively feminine accent.

"Perfume?" Intrepid cocked his head.

"We're selling incense jars." Valor replied.

"Those things that help make babies and stuff? I don't remember them smelling anything like this. Fer sure."

"These are a different kind. They're more about inhaling while relaxing and not much else. Ambiance."

"So… They're, like, a drug?"

"I wouldn't call them-"

"Some drugs are good for you, I guess... But these don't have, like, any weird after-effects, do they?"

"They don-"

"Becuz that would be jive."

"I don't know what that word means but no. They don't have "weird' effects. They're for recreational purposes only."

"Although it's understandable if you want to use them as a form of escapism." Intrepid considered.

"Don't encourage escapism in strangers, Intrepid."

"Why not? There's nothing wrong with it if you do it in moderation. The incense jars don't cause trouble for your body like, say, alcohol. If times are tough, just light one up and relax with no harm to anyone. Simple as that. They're going for the price of one Nugget. Will you be buying?"

"Hmmm... They do smell good." The Azumarill, Seabreeze, noted. "I say we get one 'Marine. If we're gonna laze around, we may as well feel good doing it."

The Vaporeon smiled at the mention of her pet name. "Well, if my girl wants one, who am to say no? We'll take one."

"Excellent." Valor floated a box over to them and the Azumarill held it in her small hands.

The Vaporeon reached into a small bag tied around her neck and produced a Nugget. The Blade Pokémon accepted it graciously.

"Thank you, Miss Marine."

"It's Aquamarine." She shot him an annoyed look. It seemed only her friend was allowed to call her that.

"Oh, sorry. Thank you, Miss-"

"Just Aquamarine."

"Thank you, Aquamarine." Valor bowed and tried his best to maintain his smile.

"You're welcome to, like, have been blessed with the presence of the beautiful and talented water duo: Aquamarine and Seabreeze. Burn us into your memories as Scald burns pretenders." She did a pose and winked at them. "Come on Seabreeze, let's go buy a lighter or something. Arceus knows we can't light this by ourselves."

"Surest." The Azumarill followed her friend down the busy street. "Buh-bye now." She blew a kiss at the Gallade as she walked away.

Intrepid watched them go, waiting until they were out of earshot before making a comment. "What even is that accent?"

"A unique one, I'll say."

"Do you think every pokémon in the Water Realm talks like that?"

"No idea, Intrepid. We're not here to judge."

"I'm not judging, I'm just curious if- Hey look, here comes Gallant. That was fast..."

Sure enough, Gallant was walking down the street back to their stand wearing an exasperated look. He was being trailed by an Arcanine, a Ninetales, Miltank, Braviary and a Flygon. The Arcanine and Nintales appeared to be together as they walked in very close proximity to each other and had two Growlithe and Vulpix pups next to them.

"I brought you customers." Gallant flatly stated. "There were more but they got too touchy-feely with me and I had to... Scare them off." He retracted a single blade.

"Awesome, Gallant. You may have created future problems for us but, you know, good work." Inrepid gave him the peace sign.

"Whatever."

"Now then... How may we be of service?" He faced the potential buyers.

Having been exposed to the more potent source of the scent, the gathered pokémon started with the demanding questions.

"What is that fascinating smell?" The Ninetales asked.

"Is it something you're selling? Did you make these, yourself?" The Arcanine continued.

"How much are they?"

"Where are you from?"

"I'm a Flygon."

"Let's see..." Intrepid placed a thoughtful finger under his chin. "It's a special incense jar. Yes, we're selling them. Our friend, Redolence, made them, please spread the name if you can. Jars are going for one Nugget, sachets are going for one Pearl. The Fairy Realm. And good for you, bro." Intrepid nodded at the Flygon.

"So heavenly..." The Ninetales closed her eyes, content with sensation brought on by the incense jar. "Canis and I will take one."

"Throw in two sachets." The Arcanine identified as Canis added.

"I'll take two jars. I have a pal that would enjoy something like this." The Braviary ordered.

"One of each is fine for me." The Miltank said with a gentle voice and smile.

"I'll take two jars and four sachets." The Flygon told them.

Valor was placing their orders as they made them, handing the pokémon their purchased products one after the other until they were all accounted for.

"Thank you for doing business with us." The three psychic types bowed politely.

"Spread the word to your friends." Intrepid waved as they prepared to leave.

"You're welcome and we will. Let's go, Canis." The Ninetales and Arcanine left with their children.

"Thank you for the jars." The Braviary took flight with two boxes in his talons.

"Have a blessed day." The Miltank smiled warmly and left as well.

"Thank you." The Flygon took to the skies.

After all the serviced customers departed, the Gallade sighed, leaning down on the counter with both elbows.

"This actually went well."

"Redolence will be stoked when we return."

"We have two remaining, though."

They looked down at the counter. One still in its box and the one that was lit still burning and producing its mist.

"Make that one." Gallant removed a Nugget from his bag and placed it in the Aromatisse's duffel bag. "We can use this one for ourselves since I already set it up."

"Good call, Gallant." Valor smirked.

"I'll admit, I wanted one for myself the first time I smelled it."

"What do we do with this last one? I don't know how I feel about standing here all day wondering when the next client will show interest. Some of these passersby look like they're resistant to the scent." Intrepid poked at the remaining box while leaning on the counter.

"I can take it off your hands."

Intrepid looked up at the latest voice to join their conversation. It belonged to a strangely familiar Lopunny that wore a red bow around her neck and a small bag across her shoulder. She smiled at them, a hand on her hip, the other brushing one of her large but delicate ears. She looked pretty cute.

"Huh. You're pretty cute." Intrepid told her, unabashedly. His friends stared at him in a weird way for being so forward with a stranger.

"Oh wow." She flipped one of her long ears. "You think?"

"Yeah. Definitely." The adolescent psychic type replied with sincerity.

"Mm-hm. Well, thanks for that. A girl never gets tired of hearing compliments, you know. Make us as happy as you can." She gave a toothy grin. "You boys look pretty cute, yourselves. Smell good too. These are incense jars, right?" The normal type inspected the lit one closely. "They're usually crazy expensive but you're really letting them go for only one Nugget each?"

"You can thank advertising for that. I'm sure the low price won't last."

"I'll definitely take one then. It'll be a great addition to my place when I just want to kick back and lie around."

"Sure." Intrepid picked up the box, ready to hand it over. "Here you- whoops!" He 'accidentally' dropped the box, stopping it with his telekinesis before it hit the ground. "Sorry. One second." He moved from one side to another, crouching as he went to give the illusion he was walking down some stairs.

The Lopunny tilted her head and watched him vanish behind the stand. She waited... And waited. Before she asked what was going on, she felt a tap on her shoulder from behind her. She turned around to discover that the Gallade had warped behind her and was spinning the box on one of his fingers.

"Ta-da!"

She giggled. "Yes, very nice." The normal type gave him a small applaud in jest.

"Thank you. Though, I'll be honest, I don't know how to balance stuff on my finger so I cheated." Intrepid moved away from the box which continued spinning in mid-air through his psychic will.

"Okay, that's cool."

"Right?" He floated the box over to her and she accepted it, offering him a Nugget in return.

"Thanks to you, we've officially sold all our wares and met our quota." Intrepid smirked.

"Oh? Do you work here?"

"No, we're here on behalf of someone else. She's the one that makes these. We're doing her a favor by selling these for her now we can return with her profits. 'Convenience!' She'll say." The psychic type looked up at the sky and started speaking mostly to himself. "Maybe in the future, she can open a full-time shop here and make a big profit. She deserves it for all her hard work."

The Lopunny smiled at him. "...Huh. You know, it's not often that I run into nice guys like you. Usually, pokémon take one look at me and..." She looked at them and they stared back at her with innocent red eyes. "Um... Nevermind. Thanks again for the jar."

"You're welcome." The psychic type smiled back at her. "Okay guys, pack it up. We're done here."

"What? You hit on me once and you're leaving already?" She sounded disappointed.

"Well... Yeah." They looked at her like it was obvious, Valor even holding up the straps of the duffel bag, once filled with jars, now filled with Nuggets, Pearls and Shards.

"Our job here is done. Trust me, we'd like to stay but there's someone waiting for us." Gallant extinguished the incense jar he lit and placed it back in its box then in has own bag. "Now we can head back home."

"Awwww, come on. It's been such a boring, tiresome, work-filled week, you know? You're not in that much of a hurry, are you? Chat with me a little more. Pleeeaaase?" She made a coy girlish pose. They looked at her curiously.

"You're asking us to like... Hang out? Even though we just met?"

"Yeah, let's hang out. I know a place where we can get refreshments. You must be thirsty from working in this heat. What do you say?"

The Gallade looked at each other and back at her with a shrug of their shoulders. They hadn't been working that long but they supposed they could take a little time for themselves. At least the pokémon accosting them was friendly.

"Sure, why not?" Gallant said.

"Awesome!"

"Let me just inform the Kecleon inside that we're done using his stand." Valor teleported into the building and, after some twenty seconds or so, teleported back. "Okay, let's go."

"Lead the way... Um..?" Intrepid faltered

"Amber." She started walking down the street, going right, the fighting types following her.

"Yes, sorry. Amber. Interesting name."

"So I'm told. I guess my parents thought 'Brown with Lighter Brown Patches' was too common a name for Buneary so they named me after a different color."

"You've got jokes."

"I try." She smiled at them. "What are your names?"

"Gallant."

"My name's Valor."

"And I'm Intrepid. Got it memorized?"

"Mm-hm. Nice names, boys. And all of them are synonyms for 'brave.' You triplets or something?"

"No but we understand why you'd think that. It's an unlikely coincidence."

Intrepid and his friends followed her up the flight of stairs back towards the Onix transit. As luck would have it, one of them was quickly approaching and when it stopped, all four pokémon got on.

"Do you live in the settlement?"

"Yeah, I do." Amber held down one of her ears when the wind made it obscure her vision. "I just got done paying for this really nice place. Had to work multiple shifts at the Comfort Inn to raise the money."

"That's right! I thought I recognized you." Gallant got a good look at her. "You're the Lopunny that served us the first time we were here."

"Hmmm..? Now that you mention it... I do remember serving a Gallade and some Kirlia some days ago."

"The Gallade is our master." Valor informed.

"And three of those Kirlia were us." Intrepid added on.

"You evolved between then and now, huh? Things sure can change when you're not paying attention."

"Tell me about it." Gallant mumbled inaudibly under his breath.

The Onix started slowing to a crawl before coming to a stop at a different platform. Amber got off, beckoning the psychic types to proceed with her.

"This is where we get off."

They walked down a flight of stairs to another main street. One that was less populated than the one in the business district. The buildings were different too. Lower than what they were used to seeing that they could be mistaken for houses. These were small business establishments like the ones back in the Fairy Realm that appealed more to the common folk than the more extravagant ones they had seen before. Libraries, confectionary shops, potteries, repair stores, convenience stores and the like. Small brick structures that arched between the buildings completed the homely feel of the area.

"We're going in here."

The psychic types looked at the building in question. It was slightly larger than the others and had a sign that read 'The Tipsy Turtwig' complete with a logo depicting an imbalanced Turtwig with cross-shaped eyes and holding a liquor bottle.

"Come on." She smiled at them, holding open the door for them to pass through.

Upon entering, the small group took in the sight around them. Pokémon of different shapes and sizes laughing all around, enjoying their time spent there. The room was illuminated by low hanging lanterns. Catchy music came from a piano in the corner being played by a talented Gothitelle. She hummed to the tone of her key strokes and it made her music all the more soothing. Behind the bar stood an Ursaring, wiping down his counter and serving drinks to the pokémon standing or sitting in front of it. It wasn't as good as the Comfort Inn but it had its own charm.

The four pokémon moved around the occupied tables and chairs to find empty seats. As Gallant passed one of the tables, he inadvertently locked eyes with its sole occupant. A Sceptile. One he recognized as Saber. The unlikely circumstance of seeing the Forest Pokémon during his second visit and in a different bar hadn't dawned on him as time slowed down for him while he passed on by, the Sceptile looking into his eyes as he went. He pondered, for a second, if the grass type recognized him. He also noticed the bandages on parts of the Sceptile's body and could only wonder what went down for him to get those injuries. He turned away before Saber did, hoping to not be caught staring for so long that he came off as rude. The three boys and single girl found themselves an empty table and settled down in the available chairs.

"Nice place." Valor commented.

"The reason I chose it." Amber smirked. "It's good we came here during the day. During the night, it could get a little... Noisy."

The friendly pokémon were soon approached by one of the waiters. A Zangoose with a tough expression and toothpick in his mouth.

"What should I get ya?"

"Aprijuice." Intrepid replied.

"Make that three."

"Make that four." Amber repeated.

"You're in a bar famous for its liquor and you all want something light like Aprijuice?" He wrote their order down in spite of what he was saying.

"You don't have any?" Gallant tilted his head.

"Of course, we do."

"Then what's the big deal?"

"Yes, right. And why don't I go to a gold mine and come back with a Hard Rock?" He rolled his eyes and left to get their drinks.

Valor watched him go with a frown. "I take back what I said about this place."

"Looks can be deceiving."

"I'd rather have it been someone like Amber serving us." Intrepid said, turning to the Lopunny. "You were excited and personal and everything."

"You think? I only ever act like that during my shifts. I have to make the patrons feel like they're important so they keep coming back. That Amber is a lie."

"No worries. This one is nice, too."

"Hmph." She smiled coyly at Intrepid.

"Say, what's the Normal Realm like?" He asked, starting small talk while they waited for their beverages.

"It's okay, I guess. My parents live there. My cute little sisters live there. There isn't really much to say about it. Because of the Miltank and Tauros that live at home, we have really great farms that produce both crops and milk. Ever had milk from a Miltank?"

They shook their heads, no.

"Seriously? I wasn't expecting that. You guys don't know what you're missing. Next time I'm there, I'll bring you back some. You absolutely have to try it at least once in your lifetimes."

"We'll take you up on that, thank you." Gallant smiled.

"No prob." She giggled. "That milk is so good, it can make a pokémon disown their mother. Kidding, of course."

"The Normal Realm sounds like a real peaceful place. Especially compared to what I've heard about... Other realms." Gallant spoke, being mindful about what he says in a room full of pokémon. "What made you come here?"

"Hmm..." The Lopunny leaned back in her chair. "I don't know. I think I had a reason but it got lost on me somewhere down the line. Looking back, it just seems more like I needed an excuse. Maybe at the time, I just wanted to feel like I'm a part of something bigger. There isn't much at home in the way of excitement. It can get pretty suffocating to know you're closed out from the rest of the world. You know what I'm saying?" She leaned forward, cheeks in paws. "What about you guys? The Pokémon Settlement is the world's largest gathering of pokémon and populated by individuals from all the realms. You can get anything you want here. Did you really only come here to do one favor for someone and then just leave? Is there really nothing more to it than that?"

The Gallade blinked in alertness, caught off guard by her question. Though, they were unsure on how to reply, she pretty much hit the mark. The first time they were here, it was only to request Dawn Stones for their evolution but their exposure to the world's problems replaced their naïveté with doubt. They arrived as innocents and left with a lot on their mind. At the time, it hadn't occurred to them that the Legendary Pokémon and other pokémon from different realms would turn their wrath on the common populace, what with being raised under Lord Xerneas' care and protection. Finding out it was such a common occurrence that it required periodic checks from assault teams really opened their eyes to a bigger picture. They thought that the world was under the care of all Legendary Pokémon like back home but as it turned out, there existed a few that damaged the world, willingly or not. And for the longest time, that knowledge wasn't apparent to the young psychic types. It was scary and it made them wonder what the rest of the world was like. A feeling that slowly birthed a desperate curiosity. Though they were in the Pokémon Settlement a second time for Redolence, it stemmed from them jumping at the first opportunity to step outside the Fairy Realm and experience, if only for a very limited time, what it was like to be free. Do things of their own accord. Take matters into their own hands. Their trip wasn't just about Redolence. It was about them too.

Just as they were about to answer her, a tray with their drinks was placed on the table.

"Drink up." The Zangoose said and left to attend to another table.

The four pokémon picked up their cups and drank their cool, refreshing beverages in silence, the piano music and chatter all they focused on until they were finished. Noticing this, the Zangoose came back and collected their cups, making sure to wipe their table clean.

"That was fast. Will that be all?" He tossed his cloth over his shoulder.

"One more serving of 'Hard Stones.'" Gallant ordered.

He chuckled and left again. "Comin' right up."

Amber placed one paw under her chin and glanced at the psychic types. "So I told you what my home is like. What about yours?"

"The Fairy Realm is... Peaceful." Gallant replied.

"What, that's it?" She rose an eyebrow.

"You'd think there's more but yeah, that's it." Valor asserted. "Our legendary, Lord Xerneas, provided us with the means to grow and function independently from the rest of the world. We can grow food, train ourselves, there's rarely ever a reason for anyone to venture outside, unless it's for business. We have everything we could ever ask for."

"Oh? Then why are you here?" It was a genuine question but it stung the psychic types like a swarm of Beedrill. "The real reason."

"We... Got curious."

"Curious?"

"Curious, yeah. We wanted to see the world for ourselves instead of just hearing about it. Turns out there's a lot more going on that we weren't and probably still aren't aware of." Gallant briefly looked at where the Sceptile was seated. He was enjoying a drink and hadn't noticed him staring. He looked away before he was caught.

"Felt like that for me too. I guess the one good thing about staying home constantly is that it's kind of nice when your troubles are your own, isn't it?" She sure wasn't letting up.

"What's your Legendary Pokémon like, if I may ask?" Gallant asked, changing the subject.

"Regigigas. He doesn't move much."

"What do you mean?" Intrepid asked, wondering if this 'Regigigas' had a sealed form like Lord Xerneas.

"Just that, he doesn't move. A long time ago, he pulled a large island and joined it to the mainland that later become the Brilliant Meadow." That little revelation shocked the three Blade Pokémon. "As the story goes, he was one of the first created Legendary Pokémon and had a hand in shaping the world. After he created the Normal Realm, he went on to create the golems using minerals from all over the world to serve as our guardians alongside him: Regirock, Regice and Registeel. They stand at the centre of the Normal Realm, none of them moving because they have no reason to... For the time being. Now they serve more as statues than anything. My little sisters like to call them Regi-Giggle because if you view them from above, Rigigigas looks like an eye while the other three make a smile." She rolled her eyes.

A second tray was placed on their table and they picked up their cups.

"That's quite a story."

"Meh. I'm sure there are more interesting stories out there." Amber and the rest drank from her cups, breathing out a sigh of content when they were done.

They continued chatting for over an hour. Talking about their homes, their friends, their interests and the like. They had ordered more drinks to go with their conversations, finding they enjoyed spending time just sitting down and talking amongst themselves.

"I'll admit, this has been nice. Thanks for inviting us." Valor smiled at her in gratitude.

"Thanks for being here. You don't know how boring this place can get when you don't have any company."

"I can't imagine that. By the way... What's that?"

"What?"

"That." Valor pointed at one of the corners of them room.

The pokémon at the shared table looked in the direction Valor was pointing at: Two Toxicroak. Obviously not the Toxicroak themselves but the table they were standing beside. A long table with six legs and an embedded green surface that had six holes placed symmetrically along its corners and sides. The poison types held long, smooth sticks in their hands and were using them to strike a white ball into the others with the objective of trying to get them into one of the holes.

"Oh, that. They're playing pool."

"Pool?"

"Yeah. It's a game where you try to get these heavy little numbered balls into holes or something. I'm not too familiar with it. Why not go see for yourself? You might enjoy it." The Rabbit Pokémon nudged her head in the direction of the pool table.

Figuring 'why not,' Valor stood up and made his way to the poison duo and the game they were engaged in. The others remaining behind to continue their conversation with Amber. He stood by the pool table and the Toxicroak took notice of him.

"What do you want, kid?" One of them leaned down, aimed with his pool cue and struck his mark.

"Don't mind me. I'm just here to watch." The Gallade folded his arms.

"You're kidding." He struck another ball and grabbed his drink that was sitting on the edge of the table, taking a swig of it. "This is a bar. You either drink or play pool or do something. Standing around will only get you kicked out. Not to mention, it's rude and annoying."

"Alright then, I'd like to try it." He stepped closer. "Can you teach me?"

"What?" The poison type flinched back at the bold proposition.

"Yeah. I'm interested in learning this game."

The Toxicroak glared at him with some hostility but Valor didn't flinch. The poison type belched disgustingly at him and grinned. "Why not? Here." He tossed the pool cue at him.

The psychic type willed the wooden stick to stop in mid-air in front of him and captured it in his grasp.

The Toxicroak procured some sort of small token and placed it in a slot in the table. After he did so, all the billiard balls that had been pocketed were ejected into a small compartment and the second Toxicroak began removing them and placing them back on the table within a black plastic triangle.

"Alright here are the rules: See this little line?" The poison type called attention to a barely visible line on the table and placed the white, featureless ball on it. "This is the starting line. At the start of a game or after a foul if the white cue ball has been pocketed, this is the line you start on. You can put it in any position, as long as it's on the line. Now we can break." He lifted the triangle from around the remaining billiard balls. "Use your pool cue to strike the balls... Heheh... You can use force but if any balls fall off the table, that's a foul and you lose your turn. Now hurry it up."

Valor looked at the pool cue in his hands for a moment and leaned over the table, trying to imitate what he saw the two poison types doing. He had three fingers on each hand but no thumbs. It was harder than it looked but he tried to make it work, the stick in between his more dominant fingers. Two holding up the pool cue, and the other two placed on the table and raised so that they supported the end of the stick. Satisfied, he struck the white ball which knocked against the others, sending them scrambling haphazardly around the table with a couple of them falling into the holes.

"Not bad, kid." It sounded pretty condescending for a compliment. "Now see how some balls are in solid colors and others in stripes? This is where you pick your side and from then on, you can only pocket that kind of cue ball. Pocket your opponent's and your turn is over. Fail to pocket and your turn is over. Pocket the white ball and your opponent gets two turns as a penalty."

Valor nodded. Selecting solid colors, he moved to closer to where the white ball had ended up leaned back down, determined to pocket one of them. He struck the white billiard ball, which knocked into a ball labeled with a 2 but it stopped short of entering its designated hole.

"Tough luck, kid." The Toxicroak smirked and grabbed a pool cue from his partner. Taking aim for barely a second, he pocketed a striped ball. Then another. Then another. And then another. Pretty impressive in Valor's eyes. The Toxicroak pocketed another striped ball but the force he put behind his strike sent the white one following behind it and into the hole.

"Damn. Your turn, kid."

Valor watched the white billiard ball get sent to a different compartment than the others and picked it up after it had settled, remembering to place it on the starting line. Taking aim, he struck the white ball and its force knocked one of his targets into a corner pocket. Smirking, he turned his sights on a black '8' ball, lining up his aim thrusting the white ball into it. The black billiard ball rolled with purpose, eventually finding itself in one of the corner pockets.

"Game over, kid." The poison type flatly stated.

"Wh-what? By I got it in."

"Yes, you did but the black one serves as a final target for both contenders and should only be pocketed after all your other targets have been sunk. On top of that, you have to call the pocket it's going in."

"What? You didn't tell me that." Valor complained.

"You didn't ask."

"Oh, com-"

"One Nugget."

"Beg your pardon?"

"Lesson fee is one Nugget. Pay up."

"What!? You didn't tell me you were charging me, either!"

"I am now. Nothing in life comes free of charge, kid. Consider that another lesson. One Nugget. Pay up."

"My ass, one Nugget! Get out of here with that crap!"

"Watch your tone with me, kid." The Toxicroak glared at him.

"Why are you the one getting upset? You just tried to extort money from me. If this was supposed to be a lesson, why didn't you say so before we started? You're so full of crap!" He slammed the pool cue onto the table, now officially pissed off.

"You looking for trouble?" The Toxic Mouth Pokémon croaked, toxins churning audibly in his throat sack. "Because you're about to find it."

"Oh, is that right?" Valor stood his ground, glaring into the eyes of his aggressor. The music had stopped. The patrons had long since taken notice but instead of being agitated, they had smirks on their faces. Some were already placing bets with each other on how the confrontation would end.

Gallant, Intrepid and Amber watched Valor on the verge of getting into a scuffle. Gallant narrowed his eyes, getting up from his chair.

"Intrepid, watch our bags." He told his friend with no room for argument. Intrepid watched him go with a serious frown while Amber wore a worried expression.

The Gallade walked to the corner of the room and stood supportively beside his friend.

"Is there some kind of misunderstanding here?" Secretly, he hoped so. As a fighting type, he was itching to knock some heads.

"No misunderstanding here, Gallant. These guys are just assholes."

The poison type scoffed at him, joined by his own partner. "Who's this? Your boyfriend?"

If there was any question of whether or not Gallant and Valor would start a fight, it was gone now. They were friends that got rowdy with each other at the drop of a hat. Imagine their animosity towards a hostile stranger that clearly had too much to drink. Gallant flipped off the Toxicroak, igniting his fire.

"Oh, it's on now! I was gonna let you go with a warning but now you've gone and done it! I don't care how good you smell, no one disrespects the Poison Darts!" He clenched his fist, making venom ooze from the stinger between his knuckles and took a jab at Gallant. The psychic type moved his head back, the Toxicroak barely missing him and lurched forward, nailing the poison type in the face and giving him a bloody nose.

The Toxicroak staggered and got supported by his partner. Standing back up, he brought his palm against his face to help ease the pain. When he took his hand away, he noticed it had become stained with blood. He glared at the psychic types and with cry to show he means business, he rushed at them, his partner following suit.

Valor wasted no time in pursuing his query, lifting his arms but not extending his blades just yet. The Toxicroak jabbed at the air in front of him, sending an ultra-fast yet weak shockwave that smacked the psychic type in the face, making Valor flinch back from the surprise attack. The psychic type held the wall beside him as he staggered, a reaction taking place in his body, his muscles stimulating themselves and increasing his reaction time and speed in an activation of his Steadfast ability. He glared up at the Toxicroak that sprinted across the floor for him, his poison darts at the ready. Using his heightened perception, Valor parried the poison type's jab with clang of their natural weapons, the poison from the Toxicroak's stingers coating the edges of his blades in their purple muck. The poison type attempted a kick but Valor raised his foot and stomped his opponent's leg back to the ground then swung his arm horizontally and sent some of the fluid coating it flying at his opponent's face, obscuring his vision. His own venomous substance wasn't hazardous to him but the Toxicroak found himself blinded by it, a fact Valor took full advantage of, driving his knee into the Toxic Mouth Pokémon's stomach and slugging him with an uppercut that sent him flying through the air and onto the pool table that started all of this, the billiard balls making for very poor cushions.

Gallant, who wasn't under the benefits of Steadfast like his friend, didn't have it as easy, trading blows and parries with his opponent as the loud clashing of their weapons filled the room. He ducked under a right hook from his opponent but that action put him in a prime position to take a knee to the chin. Gallant staggered back, holding his jaw and quickly dodged a follow-up swing from the poison type, the tip of his opponent's stinger grazing his cheek and leaving a purple line of venom. His vision blurred briefly, the toxins working fast but he fought against it. He dashed forward, swinging his blade diagonally and extending it at the last moment catching the Toxicroak off guard. A thin line was carved across his midsection, the poison type having leaned back in time and avoiding a serious injury. The Gallade extended his other blade and leaped forward, wanting to end it. The Toxicroak wasn't having it, however, coating a fist in dark energy and striking Gallant with a Sucker Punch before he could execute his attack. The psychic grit his teeth and flinched back in pain, the poison type dashing forward and striking him with a Poison Jab to the torso, puncturing a shallow hole in Gallant's stomach and noting with some fascination that there was no blood. The heck kind of pokémon was this?

Gallant sluggishly walked backwards to give himself some breathing space, the room slowly spinning because of the poison in his system. He accidentally bumped into a table behind him and fell on top of it with his back to the surface. The Toxicroak was upon him in an instant, stabbing downwards against the psychic type's face but held at bay with Gallant's psychic power, the poison stinger less than an inch away from his skin. The Toxic Mouth Pokémon jabbed down with his other fist, Gallant craning his head to the side as the stinger missed and jabbed through the surface of the wooden table. Looking to the side, he saw a few of the patrons enjoying the brawl in action. They were fuzzy in his vision but he noticed a few of them holding a bottle in their hands. Using Psychic, Gallant yanked a bottle away from one of them and sent it cruising across the room right into the side of the Toxicroak's head.

The Toxicroak cried out in pain when the bottle shattered against his face, sending shards of glass flying and spilling its contents all over his upper body. He got off of Gallant and he reeled in pain, cradling his head with one hand. The Blade Pokémon got up from the table himself, grabbing another bottle from it as he did and swinging it against the other side of the poison type's face. The impact was accompanied by another loud burst of glass and alcohol and the force of the blow was so much that the Toxicroak spun in place, legs feeling like jelly as he fought to keep his balance. Gallant made sure he wouldn't get it, grabbing his arm, pulling him towards him, lifting him off the ground and, with the help of Psychic to add extra strength, slamming him onto the table he was recently pinned down on. The table was no match for the weight forced onto it at that speed, breaking apart spectacularly, the pokémon that were seated there abandoning it fast as it was reduced to nothing but small wooden pieces.

Gallant looked down at his handiwork, smirking when it looked like the Toxicroak wasn't getting back up. He tiredly lifted his arm and his bag heeded his call, floating from their table and into his hand. Leaning against the wall, he removed a Perism Berry from one of its compartments, eating the fruit and slowly feeling the effects of the poison being purged from his body. He looked to his side and watched the second Toxicroak try his damnedest to hit Valor but couldn't, deeply regretting using Fake Out to accidentally activate his ability. The Toxicroak threw out jab after jab, kick after kick but Valor kept on dodging and guarding easily. In desperation, he reached back and grabbed one of the pool cues before taking a swing at the Gallade who just raised an arm and extended his blade, the pool cue getting sliced in half the moment it met his arm. Then with his other arm, Valor beckoned an empty chair towards him, catching it and swinging it at the Toxicroak, the poor furniture splintering to pieces against the poison type's body which was sent sprawling to the ground. The poison type tried to get up on his hands and knees but his mind was suddenly invaded by an overpowering force, making him feel like his brain was set ablaze and knocking him unconscious in under five seconds.

"Here's a life lesson for you: Don't be a dick." Valor dusted his hands off above the defeated Toxicroak.

A silence hung over the room for a few seconds before everyone erupted in loud cheers, applause and a few whistles. The two psychic types stood next to each other, shocked, thinking for sure they'd get into trouble but not caring about it at the time and wondering why they would cheer for the pokemon responsible for property damage.

"You must be new here." The Ursaring called from the bar and beckoned them closer.

"Um... I... We're...really sorry about your table and chair." Gallant rubbed the back of his head. "I can pay for the damages or-"

The Ursaring held up his claws. "Dun' worry about it. With the money I just made, I'll have them flimsy things replaced in no time."

"Uuuhhh... What do you mean?"

He chuckled. "See, the thing that makes this bar really popular is the bettin' pool. Fights break out in this bar ALL the time. It's what happens when ya serve booze to dangerous pokémon at all times of the day, erryday, unlike the Comfort Inn. It never used ta be this way and, in fact, there wuz a rule against it, yeah? But brawls kept on gettin' started. Ya can't tell a pokémon not ta fight an' you certainly can't stop them when they get good an' drunk. So, I decided, why not make a profit off this gig? I opened up a betting pool and Ah've been making more smack off fights than from mah booze. Damage costs aren't a thing tah worry about no more." His smirk widened, showing of his sharp looking chompers. "Since yer fresh young'uns, everyone here thought ta bet against ya. But I have an eye for talent, see? An' I knew you were gonna come out on top in the end. You done made me a lot of money today, kids. Good work."

"I... Think I understand why that Zangoose obsessed with us getting booze."

The two Gallade looked at each other and down at the fallen pokémon.

"Dun' worry 'bout those two. I'll have someone splash some water on 'em or something and have 'em escorted out."

"Um... Thanks..."

"No, thank you, mah boys." He winked at them. "Do me a favor an' get stronger will ya?" He returned to serving the customers near the counter.

Gallant turned to Valor. "I don't know about you but I think I'm ready to leave."

"One more thing before we go." Valor used Heal Pulse close up Gallant's stomach wound. "Better?"

"Much better, thanks." He smiled at his friend and they made their way back to their table.

Intrepid greeted them with an impish grin. "Congratulations."

"Yeah, thanks." Valor picked up his bag, the Aromatisse's duffel bag and started for the exit. "Let's go. We can't keep Redolence waiting too long. You coming, Amber?"

She nodded hesitantly, collecting her own bag and following the psychic types outside into the afternoon sun. All after they paid for their drinks, of course.

"Alright, guys. Let's head back." Valor spoke, the three of them preparing to use Teleport. "We'll be seeing you, Amber. Thanks for the company."

"Wait."

So they did. The psychic types stopped and looked at the Lopunny.

"Listen, I... Uh... I'm sorry. I only thought fights broke out in there during nighttime. That's the first time I've seen one start this early. I didn't mean for things to get out of hand like that. I... Just wanted a little company but I ended up getting you hurt... I shouldn't have brought you here. I'm really sorry, guys. Please don't hate me." She squeezed the straps of her bag and was trying not to meet their eyes.

"Hey, don't worry about it." Intrepid reassured her, placing a hand on her shoulder. "None of that mess was your fault. It was fun hanging out with you."

"Really? You mean it?" The Rabbit Pokémon looked at them, hopeful.

"Really really. Don't even sweat it, Amber." Gallant smirked. "We're guys. On top of that, we're fighting types. It's what we do and we love doing it."

"Yeah. Next time we're here, we should hang out again... Preferably at a less obnoxious place."

Amber's frown of regret curled up into a smile of joy. "Thanks! You guys are the best! So... I'll see you next time?"

"Count on it."

"Awesome! I'll see you soon then. Bye-bye, boys!" She did a little spin for them, ran down the street and turned, out of sight.

"Nice gal." Intrepid commented.

"She's good at asking prodding questions too." Gallant replied.

"I thought I was the only one that noticed that." Valor finished. "Okay, ready guys?"

"Yeah."

"Yup."

"Alright."

"Wait."

"Ugh..." Their bodies even started glowing and everything... "What now- oh."

The three young psychic types stared at the pokémon that stopped them: The Sceptile, Saber.

"Hello." Gallant greeted him, hesitantly stepping forward. "May we help you?"

"You three. You're those little ankle biters from last time, aren't you?"

"Gallant."

"Valor."

"Intrepid."

He nodded at them. "My name is Saber."

"Yes, we remember."

"True but I hadn't formally introduced at the time." He walked a little closer to them. "How have you been?"

"We've been fine." They answered.

Saber closed his eyes and exhaled audibly. They were being cautious of him and couldn't really blame them because of how he presented himself during their first meeting. "I know that what I said to you last time may have come off as hurtful and insensitive. It wasn't my place to accuse you of something outside your control. I want to apologize. I'm sorry."

The Gallade kept looking at him, unsure of what to say. The grass type continued.

"Can I ask you something?" They remained silent and he took it as incentive to continue. "Why did you come back?"

This again? It was bad enough that Amber kept trying to see through their intentions now this guy has to do it too?

"Does it matter?"

"Of course not. I was just wondering." He blinked a couple times in the short, awkward silence. "I noticed the two of you fighting. You're pretty good."

"...Thank you."

"Tell me... What do you intend to do with that strength?"

"Isn't that a little personal?" The three psychic types were visibly starting to get vexed.

"It is. It's very personal." Saber replied. "Do you remember when I called your home a closed circle? I still stand behind that belief. I mean no disrespect but I think a lot of your potential is being held back by something, I don't know what. It's obvious you trained hard to get where you are now but is that really all it is? Getting stronger and then locking yourself away from the world when you're done? It just seems like a waste of effort."

"I don't think you know what you're talking about." Gallant glared at the grass type.

"Maybe I don't." Saber shrugged. "I was just curious about what drove you to seek that strength, that's all. You're not going to talk to me about it and I understand that. I'm a stranger to you. But I'm a stranger that loves the world, you see. A stranger aching for more aspiring pokémon to rise up and protect it no matter what their primary intentions are. Don't hide your strength because of a minor thing like what others will think of you if you act on your own. If there's nothing ventured, there's nothing gained. If you can fight, then fight. There's never enough strength in the world. Pokémon die or come close to dying everyday and I want to avoid that at any cost. All I want to know is whether or not you'll be able to lend the world a helping hand whenever you can." He looked at them seriously. "Can you?"

Was he... Asking them for help? A silence fell over the four pokémon, the footfalls of passing pedestrians thumping loudly in their ears. They looked him up and down, noticing the small bandages all around his body. Some of his wounds bled through the bandages, dyeing the white fabric into a pale red. They looked up and met his eyes again. He waited for their answer but they didn't give him one. They were hesitating. He sighed.

"Right. I'm sorry to have troubled you." He turned to leave.

"Saber." Valor called out to him. He stopped but didn't turn around.

"Yes?"

Valor paused and after faltering for a few seconds, he asked what was on his and his friends' minds. "Where did you get those injuries?"

"...From Tornadus during one of my missions."

The Gallades' eyes widened ever so slightly in surprise. He survived an encounter with a Legendary Pokémon? They never expected that.

"So... You managed to escape?"

"Escape?" He turned to them with an offended frown. "You think we ran?"

"You... You mean, you..."

"My team and I defeated him, yes." They stared at him in awe but remained silent, still. "We fight for the Pokémon Settlement and all the realms. If it means the safety of others, we don't and we won't back down from anything. Ever. Please, remember that." The Forest Pokémon turned again and left. This time, they didn't stop him.

The Gallade didn't say anything, another encounter with the Sceptile leaving them speechless. One after the other, the Blade Pokémon teleported out of the Pokémon Settlement back to their home. Back to the Fairy Realm. They had a friend in need waiting for them.

* * *

Fairy Realm - Redolence's Incense Shop

"Oh my!" Redolence cupped her cheeks with her small hands. The Nuggets, Pearls and various colored Shards reflecting the light in the room and making it appear like a rainbow was shooting out of her duffel bag.

The Gallade smiled down at their friend, her happiness having a positive effect on the emotion-sensitive pokémon. They stood in her shop, having dropped in a minute ago, and provided her with the proof of their success. They also went on to tell her that they spread her name around the settlement in order to make her wares more known to the public. Seeing her so happy made them happy as well.

"I don't know what to say! Thank you, boys! Thank you so much!" They crouched down and shared a group hug with the ecstatic fairy when she held out her arms to them. "You sold them all! And so fast too! Convenience!"

"I think Miss Jubilee would have sold them just as quick." Valor got up from the hug. "Reason we got back so fast is because we can teleport."

"If we couldn't, it would have taken us a day to get there and another day to get back." Intrepid placed his hands behind his head. "I now have an even bigger appreciation for Miss Jubilee. To think she does this kind of thing for multiple pokémon at once."

"Did you meet her by any chance?" Redolence asked, putting her duffel bag away in one of the side rooms.

"Unfortunately, no. The Pokémon Settlement is a big place." Gallant replied.

"By the way, my darling." Redolence looked at Gallant after she finished putting away her stuff. "What happened to your face?" She pointed at his scar which hadn't yet healed.

"Oh, it's... It's nothing. Just ran into a little trouble with some hostile pokémon. Nothing to worry about." He rubbed the back of his head and spared her the details.

"Hmm, that's too bad." She perked up. "But I really am grateful for what you've done for me. I can't thank you enough."

"You're welcome, Redolence. Remember, we're here any time you need us. Okay?" Gallant smiled at her.

"I'll remember that. Thank you, my darlings." She waved at them as they left her shop, a heavy feeling of joy and gratitude welling up within her body. "Thank you..."

The three friends closed the door behind them after vacating the Aromatisse's store and were greeted by the flourishing wonderland that was their home.

"What next?" Intrepid asked.

"Let's report back to Edge." Valor grinned. "I bet he'll be proud when we tell him how well we did."

"Sounds like a plan. Let's go!" Gallant spoke and all three of them teleported to the Training Hold.

* * *

Fairy Realm - Training Hold

The three psychic types hung their heads in shame as they stood in front of their mentor. Edge had a palm to his face and he rested his elbow on his other hand by the time they finished telling him their story. A few pokémon in the room listened in on their conversation instead of training but most minded their own business.

"You two got into a bar fight and vandalized an establishment on your first day alone in the Pokémon Settlement? During day time?"

"Oh come on, Edge. You make it sound like it was our fault. Those guys-" Valor stopped talking when Edge lifted up his hand in a gesture of silence.

"One lap around the Fairy Realm."

"What!? But we just got back! We just came from a fight!" Gallant complained.

"I'll use your words against you and say it's never too late for training. If you had a say in the matter, it wouldn't be punishment."

"You heard him, guys." Intrepid chuckled.

"You too, Intrepid."

"What? But I didn't do anything!"

"Guilty by association. Kick rocks."

"Yes, sir..." Mumbling under their breath, the three pokémon dejectedly left for the door to carry out their punishment.

"Wait."

Then craned their heads to look back at him.

Edge folded his arms. "Did you win?"

They nodded in the affirmative.

Edge ginned. "That's my boys. Now off you go."

With renewed smiles from being praised, the three adolescent fighting types left the Training Hold on a positive note. The older Gallade shook his head with a smile when they exited, getting back to work.

"I just can't control them."

* * *

Brilliant Meadow - Fairy Realm Outskirts - Afternoon

The Gallade jogged through the tall grass growing around the outer perimeter of the Fairy Realm, pacing themselves so as to not run out of energy too quickly. The afternoon sun bathed them in its light but the breeze blowing through the area made sure it wasn't unbearable. A few trees here and there diverted their path every now and then but they maintained their course for the most part.

"When do you think we'll be done?" Intrepid asked as he jogged.

"Don't know. The Fairy Realm is a huge place." Valor reminded.

"This is the first we've been out here, though. I say we enjoy it." Gallant smirked.

"You're awfully happy."

"Not particularly. It's more like I have nothing to complain about."

"Maybe we shouldn't have told Edge about the bar fight." Intrepid recalled. "I'm getting punished because you guys can't keep your fists to yourselves."

"Excuse us?" Gallant turned his head toward his friend while maintaining his speed. "You're just as eager for battles as we are."

"I know how to regulate my fury."

"What a load of crap, Intrepid. If there was a third threat, you'd have totally joined in without caring about the reason. Tell me I'm wrong."

"You're wr-"

"Don't lie to me now. You know I'll be able to tell."

"..."

"That's what I thought." Gallant smirked.

Intrepid used telepathy to feed Gallant's mind with the image of him getting stabbed in the stomach by one of the Toxicroak.

"Yeah, real mature."

"You nearly got your ass kicked." Intrepid laughed.

"Almost doesn't count. Come on, I beat him while poisoned. Give me some credit."

"Hmmmmm... Okay, I'll give you that."

"I took care of mine easy." Valor boasted.

"Careful, Valor. You might not be lucky enough to have your ability activated for you next time we're in a fight."

"No worries. I would have gotten stronger by then that I can learn to fight without it. Just as you did."

"Next time you guys get in a fight in that bar, I'll bet on it. Make ourselves some quick cash. Know what I'm saying?" He flashed a toothy grin.

"I hear ya, Intrepid." Gallant winked at him.

"You guys got into a bar fight, huh? Is that why your face looks so banged up, Gallant?" A fourth pokémon interjected. "Did a 'mon in the back say 'everyone attack' and turn it into a ballroom blitz?"

"Wha- Sylvia!" Gallant blinked in surprise, looking down at the fairy type Eeveelution that ran with them. The tall grass must have obscured her from his vision. "How long have you been there?"

"Since you exited the Fairy Realm." She revealed. "I wasn't really trying to hide but- Ack! Pfeh!" She spat in disgust when some grass entered her mouth. "Blech... Anyway. I wasn't trying to be stealthy but this grass can hide anything. Why are you guys out here?"

"It's punishment for starting the aforementioned bar fight." Gallant told her. "Why are you here?"

"I didn't intend to follow you but I couldn't resist that fantastic smell you got going on." She inhaled and smiled. "What is that?"

"It's a new smell Redolence made. Intrepid covered me with it as a marketing strategy."

"For what?"

"We were selling some of her stuff in the-" They dodged an incoming tree. "In the Pokémon Settlement."

"Ah right. I heard that much from your friends when I visited the Training Hold earlier." She frowned at him. "You left without at least saying bye."

"Sorry. I'll make it up to you later." Gallant promised her.

"Hmph. You better. I've been bored all day, you know." She curved left and avoided a large rock.

"It's only afternoon."

"You know what I mean."

"Where's Angel? Doesn't she always keep you company?"

"She's with her Mom, Miss Sana. Probably training if not helping around her store."

"Ah, right. Wonder what new thing she'll pick up. She's pretty strong already and gets stronger every day."

"Right?" The Sylveon jumped over some hedges. "She doesn't talk much but she's a real hard worker."

"Imagine how strong she'll be when she evolves."

"Oh my gosh, right? I better not fall back, either. This run has been good exercise. How far are we going?"

"Around the entire Fairy Realm."

"You're kidding."

"I'm not."

"Then this is where I turn back. See you later, Gallant."

"See you around, Sylvia."

In the blink of an eye, the Intertwining Pokémon vanished from sight and sped back to the entrance of the Fairy Realm. She wasn't that fast by herself but with the help of Quick Attack, she became a pink and white blur. Intrepid and Valor, who had remained silent throughout Gallant's conversation with the fairy type, finally spoke up.

"I didn't know you guys were so close."

"Yeah. Maybe you're even closer to her than to us."

"It's not a competition, you guys." Gallant rolled his eyes. "I just really enjoy her company. Angel too. They're my close friends just like you."

"Awww. Hear that, Valor? Gallant loves us." Intrepid teased.

The two Gallade just chuckled at their friend's behavior. They continued to jog, the grassy terrain eventually opening up to a view of the ocean as they reached the edge of the Fairy Realm.

"Woah, look at that." Intrepid commented in fascination, taking in the beauty of the scene before them. He slowed down and so did his friends, the three of them admiring the reflective body of water stretching out for miles. "I wonder how many pokémon of the Fairy Realm have seen this."

"Definitely Miss Jubilee since she can fly. Can't speak for anyone else, though." Valor replied. "Maybe Edge too. I imagine he knows about this route since he's making us run it."

"Damn... To think that this has always been here. The world sure is awesome." Gallant walked closer to the cliff edge, smiling softly at the view. "You know... This has been a good day, all things considered."

It had been a great day. Better than what any of them would have expected. It made for quite a learning experience and gave them a lot to think about. They helped out Redolence, her joy filling them with a sense of accomplishment never before felt. They put two hostile pokémon in their place, leaving them with a cathartic satisfaction. They made a new friend today and through her and Saber, they learned a few new things about themselves. Though the latter encounter was less pleasant than the former, it still encouraged them to think about their possible roles in the world. Both Amber and Saber's pressing questions about their life choices inspiring them to consider what their futures held for them. And all this happened in a single morning. They were put under pressure at the time but with their minds at ease like this, the decision came easy and fast. They wanted to be free from the shackles that bound them and experience life to its absolute fullest. After their second taste of the illusive metaphorical fruit, they wanted to see what the rest of the world was like. Their desire to expand their reach was the reason they helped Redolence and the reason they would definitely be leaving the Fairy Realm again. And again. And again... And the best way to achieve their hopes and dreams was through the stronghold of opportunity: The Pokémon Settlement.

"You know..." Gallant removed the familiar medallion from his bag. "We never did give this back to Edge. So..."

His friends smiled at him. A zephyr blew through the air, rustling the grass and making leaves dance in the wind around them.

"What I'm saying is..."

The sound of the shuffling grass blended soothingly with the sound of the waves crashing against the bottom of the cliff hundreds of feet below them and the flock of Wingull that flew overhead.

"Valor... Intrepid..."

His friends' smiles grew wider. They already knew what he was going to say but they wanted to hear him say it. They needed to hear him say it. All three of them needed to be on the same page on this. As this was a shared decision that would change their lives forever.

Gallant smiled in excitement.

"How about... We join the Guild Collaboration. Together."

* * *

END CHAPTER

A/N: I haven't played Pool in a long time so there might be some errors in there. Sorry.

I also mistakenly called Toxicroak ‘Poison Dart’ instead of ‘Toxic Mouth.’ I am very sorry. Fixed.


	12. Independence

Three pokémon sat on a hill overlooking the North-East Gate of the Pokémon Settlement, the moonlight and stars illuminating the night sky. The tall grass and leaves in the trees rustled soothingly around them, creating a calm ambience as they admired the walls of largest stronghold in the world. Angel and Sylvia sat on either side of Gallant, the Blade Pokémon having brought them all the way out here a few hours after nightfall. The two female pokémon stared, for the first time, in wonder at the awe-inspiring city of opportunities, completely taken by just how marvelously enormous it was.

"It's so... HUGE." Sylvia remarked, turning to face the Gallade. "You're gonna be working there starting tomorrow, huh?"

"Yeah." Gallant smiled in resolution, having told them both about his and his friends' future plans to become a part of the Pokémon Settlement. "The guys and I are really excited about it. We're going to be getting jobs at the Guild Collaboration that'll allow us to see what the rest of the lands are like and help other pokémon like we did with Redolence while we're at it. It's a win-win."

"You're not wasting any time growing up, are you, Gallant?" She wrapped a ribbon around his left arm.

"No, I'm not. The opportunity was in front of us and we took it. We made our own decision. Starting tomorrow, the world will reshape us."

"For better or for worse." The Eeveelution added.

"That's how it goes but let's hope it's more the former."

"All I ask is that you make sure you keep yourselves safe and don't give us any heart attacks."

"I'll keep that in mind." He smiled down at her and rubbed her head, between her hears with the hand she had her ribbon wrapped around.

"You say that but I bet you'll just get into another fight in the settlement again and come back with even more injuries. What then?"

"Then I'll add them to my growing collection of cool looking battle scars." He grinned cheekily.

"Is that where the cut on your cheek came from? Picking fights as soon as you enter the Pokémon Settlement... Honestly, Gallant." Angel finally joined in on the conversation, still looking at the incredibly high and thick walls.

"I wouldn't say I went in looking for a fight specifically. These two pokémon in a bar we visited were oppressing my friend and I stepped in to help, that's all."

Angel gazed up at him, doubtful. She knew better. Knew how much he loved fighting. Perhaps too much for his own good. She could bet he didn't even try to solve the conflict by talking it out.

"Don't give me that look." Gallant dismissed her suspicion and pointed at his scar. "Doesn't it make me look badass, though?"

The Kirlia stared blankly at the Blade Pokémon before raising her hand, placing it against his face and using Heal Pulse to close up his scar.

"Wha- Hey!"

"Don't 'hey' me, Gallant." She lectured him. "I'm happy you're enjoying your evolution so far but actually looking forward to receiving more injuries as trophies is insanity."

"But-"

"Insanity, Gallant. You didn't train to get beaten up did you?"

"...No."

"Then pick your battles carefully and remember to properly treat yourself afterwards to avoid getting all kinds of infections. Don't be careless is what I'm saying."

"Right."

Sylvia looked at the two of them and giggled into a paw. "Angel scolded you."

Gallant blushed in embarrassment.

"Don't sweat it, Gallant." Sylvia unwrapped her ribbons from him and leaped in front of her two closest friends. "Just make sure you become the best as you can be and tell us stories about all the things you experience. Okay?"

"You got it."

"Hmph. Look at you, becoming a big deal all of a sudden." She sat down and smiled solemnly. "When you're out there risking your life, don't forget about us, okay? Remember all the common folk back home and the important things that matter the most. We're rooting for you."

"I'm not going to be living there." He deadpanned. "I'll be coming back every-" Sylvia placed a ribbon over his mouth.

"Ssshhh... Don't make this any harder than it has to be, Gallant. Just tell us that you'll love us forevermore." She closed her eyes.

Gallant just stared at her in confusion and before he could make a comment about her strange behavior, she opened one eye and smirked at him.

"You like? I learned that from the novel I read and thought to try it out."

"So you did learn something from it."

"Nothing of any relevance. That book was all drama, betrayal and make-out sessions. A romance novel with all the clichés imaginable."

"And you're not interested in any of that?"

"None of it, unfortunately."

"To think it has an entire series." He shook his head and looked down, only then noticing the condition of the Sylveon's front legs. "Why are your paws so dirty?"

"Huh? Oh, this? I dug out of my home to meet you and Angel."

"What?"

"Yeah. The front door creaks, so I decided to move a stone tile and dig a hole from my room to outside the house. That way, I won't make too much noise. Now I have a safe way of leaving and re-entering when I'm out breaking rules."

"You're crazy."

"Crazy awesome." She faced the Emotion Pokémon. "What about you, Angel? How'd you sneak out?"

"Um... I, uh, I left a Substitute on my bed and teleported out." She hesitantly revealed.

"Whoa, really?" Sylvia blinked in surprise. "How creative."

"My only regret is that I had to deceive Mom who, ironically, just today taught me how to use Substitute."

"Don't feel too bad about it. You're in no danger for Miss Sana to worry. You know, should she find out."

"That's what we thought last time. Then I got carried off by that huge bird."

"Which you beat by yourself." The Intertwining Pokémon reminded her. "I don't think any of us are in any real danger out here. We'll trash anything that tries to mess with us. Rawr!"

"I suppose."

"That's the spirit." She grinned but then thought of something. "Wait, so if you only learned Substitute today, how did you sneak out the first time?"

"Double Team."

"Ah, yes. Of course."

"It's not very reliable beyond a simple distraction. They're just illusions. My Substitute is solid enough to pass for my double in case Mom decides check on me."

"You're getting pretty good at breaking out."

"That's not a good thing but thanks." Angel smiled at her fellow fairy type then turned her head toward the fighting type. "What about you, Gallant?"

"Teleported out."

"That's it?"

"That's it. My parents are too lax. They're fine with me doing whatever as long as I don't get into trouble."

"So they know you're out here?" She tilted her head.

"Heavens, no. That would get me into trouble." Gallant answered quickly. "However, they do know that I'll be looking for work in the Pokémon Settlement tomorrow."

"And?"

"They're happy for me. But I bet they're also happy that they'll have their place to themselves even more than usual."

"Because you pretty much live in the Training Hold." Sylvia pointed out.

"I won't argue against that."

Sylvia moved from in front of them and sat next to Angel, admiring both the sky and the Pokémon Settlement. "So, Gallant..."

"Yeah?"

"Did you meet anyone interesting while selling Redolence's stuff? Or were you too busy getting in fights and chugging booze?"

"I wasn't drink-"

"I'm kidding. Did you make any new friends like you wanted?"

He sighed. "We did, yeah. A female Lopunny named Amber."

"Do tell." She leaned forward and watched him expectantly along with Angel.

"She seemed nice enough. We actually saw her the first time we were here but she was working as a waitress at the time."

"Uh-huh?"

"Intrepid decided to hit on her."

"No kidding?"

"No kidding. He's fun like that but in doing so, he got her to buy Redolence's last remaining product." He chuckled. "Put on a little show as well. After that, she invited us to the bar for some drinks."

"So this girl was the cause of your troubles?" Sylvia stifled a giggle.

"It's not like that. She was really nice... If not a bit intrusive..." He whispered that last part under his breath. "She even made sure to apologize to us after the fact."

"Again, I'm kidding."

"It's hard to tell."

"No it isn't. You're just not spending enough time around me."

"She's right." Angel backed up her friend's claim.

Gallant sighed again and continued. "Most of what we talked about was pretty mundane. She told us about the Normal Realm and its Legendary Pokémon, Regigigas. According to her, the Brilliant Meadow was originally an island before he towed and fixed it against the mainland."

The attentive fairy types blinked in surprise at that tidbit of news.

"Yeah, that was our reaction as well."

"The Brilliant Meadow is, like, ginormous... Just how strong is this guy?"

"On a scale of one to ten, I'd say 'pretty damn strong.' A solid eleven."

"I'll look him up in my book later." Angel noted.

"Speaking of which, anything interesting from it you'd like to share with me?"

"Oh! Yveltal! Tell him about Yveltal, Angel!" The Sylveon urged.

"Right." Angel held Gallant's gaze with her own as she started to summarize the dark type's bio. "Yveltal, creator of the Dark Realm. His power is the opposite of Lord Xerneas'. The destruction to Lord Xerneas' creation. His energy steals from all life around him to keep himself immortal. Though, I don't know if immortal is the right word... Mmmmm... Undying. Yes, that fits better."

"Aren't they the same thing?"

"No, they aren't." She lifted a finger. "Immortal suggests he's unable to be killed at all but the book implies it's possible. Problem is, when it happens, he unconsciously steals the life-force of everything in his immediate vicinity to keep himself alive. Hence, undying. A refusal to perish, not that he can't."

Gallant nodded. It was a sound argument. "That's a wicked ability he has backing him up."

"It seems some Legendary Pokémon are too powerful for their own good. Guess that's why he isolates himself like Darkrai. For the benefit of others."

"That kind of nobility leaves something to be desired when it comes to pokémon like Tornadus and Thundurus."

"Oh, ja. Those two." Sylvia looked up in remembrance. "Do you think they're still jerking around out there?"

"I can't speak for Thundurus but Tornadus got defeated by a small group of grass types that call themselves Chartreuse."

"What? Is that true?"

"I have no reason to believe they'd lie about such a thing. I met one of the pokémon responsible. A Sceptile named Saber. He was covered in bandages." Gallant's expression softened. "We... Didn't get along well but I do respect him. I'd be lying if I said he didn't at least partly influence our decision to join the Guild Collaboration. That kind of strength is something I admire. Seems like they've been fighting for so long, they got strong enough to take down a Legendary Pokémon... Hmm..."

"Don't get any ideas, Gallant." Angel cautioned.

"I won't. You can be rest assured that I'll stay in my league. Even I know when to back down. I don't want to disappoint Edge. His expectations and approval means a lot to us, you know? He's the one that's been training us ever since we were Ralts, after all."

"And now here you are as a Gallade after so many years of training." Sylvia smiled at him. "You've come a long way, Gallant."

"Thanks, Sylvia." He smiled back.

The three friends looked up at the sky in serene silence, the stars twinkling beautifully against the backdrop of space. They sat like that for who knows how many more minutes, just enjoying the cool night temperature and each other's company, dreaming of things to come. Right up until Gallant yawned, which caused the other two to do the same like it was contagious.

"Now's probably a good time to head back." Gallant spoke as he got up.

"Yeah. You need your rest for tomorrow." Angel followed his lead, stretching where she stood.

Sylvia shook herself free of dirt and stood next to the Kirlia. "Especially since you've been running for a long time."

"That's not a problem. Having strong legs is something I appreciate about being a Gallade. The exhaustion wore off fast." Gallant placed a hand on his hip and smirked. "Being only one lap helped, though. Anything more than that would have been seriously taxing."

"I can imagine." Sylvia walked closer to him, wrapped a ribbon around his wrist and one around Angel's. "Take us home, Gallant."

"Sure thing."

A light enveloped the three youths and they returned to the Fairy Realm to turn in for the night with no trace that they were ever in the Brilliant Meadow.

* * *

XXX Mirage Island - Sunrise XXX

Darkrai watched the sun lift over the expansive ocean's horizon, his hair, lower body and shoulder streaks moving gently at the wind's command. The waves splashed against the edge of the shore, the body of water that produced them being dyed an alluring orange by the call of dawn. He had only been on Mew's secretive island a few days but it felt longer than that. He was grateful that the psychic type Legendary Pokémon offered him such a wonderful place to live in, away from all his troubles. But something was... Off. Something he couldn't shake no matter how hard he tried. Deep down, he wondered how long Mew intended for him to live here because the New Species Pokémon never said anything on the matter. There were times when he felt undeserving of the great kindness he was offered. It was alien to him. 'Hey, Darkrai, wanna live with me?' Wasn't an offer he would have ever expected any pokémon that knew of him to propose. He looked down at his wrist and observed the Lunar Wing Mew created for him. Strong enough to protect the other inhabitants of the island. A few times he contemplated taking it off and leaving, though not in that order. It's not that he didn't enjoy his time here, far from it. It was just that he couldn't shake the feeling that he would only end up being a burden to Mew, since that's how his life had been from the beginning of time and his attitude simply couldn't be changed just because one or two pokémon showed him benevolence. He was still the Pitch Black Pokémon and harbinger of unwarranted terror. It wasn't the title he desired but that's how he was created. He had to cope with it and make sure only the correct pokémon would be punished by it. This new lifestyle he was given... He wasn't sure about it. Was he happy? Yes, very. How long it would last, however, was an answer he didn't know and was scared to find out because it always came at the cost of pokémon other than himself. Always. All the time.

"Mornin'!"

Darkrai looked up and saw Mew floating upside-down in front of him, paws behind its back. As usual, the small, pink pokémon wore a smile that could light up the blackest night.

"Good morning, Mew."

Mew closed its eyes in joy, rotating itself to float correctly but remaining in the same position. "You're up early."

"I actually don't sleep."

"Huh?" The psychic type's eyes snapped open. "Do you suffer from insomnia?"

"No, I don't. I can sleep but most of the time, I choose not to."

"My, my. That's not healthy."

"For most pokémon, no but it doesn't bother me."

"I'm skeptical." Mew placed its paws on its cheeks and floated horizontally like it was lounging.

"Would it help if I said sleeping is all I do on New Moon Island?" Mew just stared at him and the dark type broke eye contact. "Sleeping is all I do on New Moon Island and I don't like to do it if I don't have to. I hate it. But there's nothing else to do when I'm there."

The psychic type gave him an aside glance before turning to face the ocean. "Even now, you still think about it."

"As much as I loathe it, it's my home. Where I belong and where I'm least deadly."

"There you go again, Darkrai." Mew's mood dropped and the psychic type frowned but Darkrai couldn't see it. "That self loathing you do isn't good at all."

The ocean's waters splashed heavily against the shore, doing nothing to ease the growing tension between the two powerful pokémon.

"I need to know something." Darkrai spoke.

"What is it?" Mew still faced forward.

"How long do you plan for me to remain here? I'm a walking wasteland that could ruin everything you've built on this island. Are you sure you know what you're getting into?"

Mew remained silent, its tail swishing in the air.

"Answer me."

The pink-furred pokémon shrugged. "I don't know what kind of answer you're looking for."

"...Mew. I think what you're doing is dangerous."

"No, it's not." The psychic type insisted. "We're protected here and you know it. What's the big deal? Are you afraid of your own happiness or something?"

"That's not it, Mew. This isn't about me entirely. Why won't you see the point I'm trying to make? Why are you being so stubborn?"

Mew blinked a few times, turning around to face the Pitch Black Pokémon directly.

"I can't shake the feeling that something horrible will happen if I remain here. Mew... You've made me care a great deal about you and I don't want to end up hurting you or the inhabitants of this island. I've lived in the dark all my life so I can take the pain... But what about you? How will you cope if you or the others fall prey to my power? You think you can just tie this Lunar Wing to my wrist and pretend everything will be fine?"

Mew looked into his eye, clear blue staring into dark blue. "Are you saying you want to leave us?"

"That's not... I..." Darkrai looked down, surprised that he didn't have an answer despite the argument he was trying to make.

"That hesitation is all I need. If you really desired it, you could have left anytime you wanted." The New Species Pokémon floated closer to him. "You're happy here, I can tell. And what's wrong with that? Nothing. Recognizing your freedom is important, Darkrai. It's what you want and what you can find here. You're not hurting, you're just worried. I'm not hurting, either and neither are the other pokémon."

As if to prove Mew's point, a Taillow landed on the dark type's shoulder and preened itself, uncaring of the kind of pokémon he was.

"Just let go of your worries." Mew's smile returned. "There's nothing to be afraid of here. Eat some berries, go for a swim if you can. Build a sand castle and complain when the waves destroy it. Laugh with us. It's fine. Please. Stop stressing yourself."

Darkrai looked at Mew, then at the Taillow on his shoulder and then at the Pidgey that landed on his other shoulder. The sun was above the horizon at this point, officially marking the time as morning. He closed his eyes. Maybe Mew was right. Maybe he was worried for no reason. Scared of the present and future because of what his past had been like. He opened his eyes and locked it with Mew's gaze. In spite of his misgivings, nothing bad had happened in the days he was here and supposed he could take Mew's word for it.

"If you say so... Then I'll place my trust in you... I'm sorry. And thank you, Mew, for doing everything you've done for me thus far."

"Oh, I'm nowhere near finished, Darkrai." Mew smirked and transformed into a Victreebel. "Looks like you still need a little more convincing so we're picking up our tour from where we left off."

The small flying types launched off his shoulders as he was doused with Gastro Acid. It happened so fast that he almost didn't shield his vision in time. He sighed and reopened his eyes, noticing Mew had already transformed into an Abra and clung onto his left arm.

"Wh-"

"Ready? Of course you are! Away we go!"

And with that, the two Legendary Pokémon were teleported from the island to parts unknown.

* * *

XXX Fairy Realm - Training Hold, Morning XXX

Edge stood patiently in the reception of the Training Hold, watching one of the Klefki fumble with its many keys before finding the right one and unlocking the door to the rest of the structure. With a creak, the door slowly swung open and the Klefki hovered aside to let him through. He nodded at the steel type in appreciation on his way into the main training room and closed the door behind him. Walking across the wide, circular floor, he made his way to a closed door at the opposite end of the room. The Blade Pokémon reached toward the handle and pushed it open to reveal training equipment that had been stored away for the night. It would be a pain to remove it by himself but, as luck would have it, he was a Gallade.

One by one, he teleported the equipment from the storage room to the edges of the training room. Dumb bells, bar bells, weights, punching bags, side steppers, manual treadmills and other exercise aids until they were all neatly positioned at the edges of the large room.

He craned his head, lifting an arm straight up while his other held it by the tricep, sighing when he heard satisfying cracking sounds from his neck and shoulders. Since he was early, he figured he might get in a bit of training himself while he waited for the room to fill with more pokémon. The psychic type floated a dumb bell over to himself, gripping it firmly with one hand and raising and lowering it in short intervals. He did it almost absentmindedly, lifting and dropping it before switching it to his other hand. As he did so, he looked at the main door, the floor, some of the equipment and then back to the door when he noticed something about it. A small piece of paper taped to it that would have never been noticed unless you really paid attention to it. Being the only pokémon in the room at the time, he figured he may as well read it. If it wasn't for him, he would pass on the message. Considering where it was left, he guessed it wasn't something that was too private. Still working out, Edge used Psychic to float the note over to him and read it.

'Yo, Edge.' Yup, he could already guess who wrote this.

' If it isn't Edge reading this, please pass it on to him. Sorry for leaving this on such short notice and giving you important news in such a hasty way but we took your medallion for another trip to the Pokémon Settlement. Reason being is because we're looking to get a job there, you see. You can only get so far living on allowance.' Edge smirked. 'We're going to join the Guild Collaboration. We noticed the world isn't as perfect as it could be and we're gonna join the effort to make it better. We won't deny that there are more personal reasons but do they really matter in the pursuit of justice?' He chuckled at the cheesy line and shook his head. There was a small instruction to flip the note and he did, finding more wording on the back. 'Anyway, that's the gist of it. If anything big happens, we'll tell you about it. Just wish us luck for now, okay? Seriously, wish us luck. If something happens to us, it's on you. This is going to be a first for us so show us your support. We mean it, Edge. Okay, tootles.'

~ Gallant, Valor & Intrepid.

The last line was crossed out and next to it were the names: Intrepid, Gallant & Valor... Which was crossed out as well in favor of Valor, Intrepid & Gallant... Which was also crossed out and the remainder of the note was just a mess of their names.

He chuckled again and dropped the weight, which hit the ground so hard that it shook the floor boards, though it didn't damage them. He crumpled the paper in his palm and looked up with a happy smile.

"I just can't control them."

* * *

XXX Pokémon Settlement XXX

The teeth of the gears met each other fluidly in the mechanism as the North-Eastern Gate slowly closed behind the three fighting types, all of them wearing excited grins on their faces. The gate met the ground in a low rumble and the adolescent Gallade started down the brick-tiled path toward one of the main streets. Today was a big day for them. They would be joining the Guild Collaboration and participating in mission for the sake of their fellow mon and also marked the start of their independence and growth into adulthood. They turned down the main street, the routes of the settlement getting more familiar to them with each visit. The three youths kept walking until they met a large flight of stairs that led to an Onix fast-travel transit. Climbing up the stairs, they stood next to a few other pokémon in wait for an Onix to collect them and ferry them to different parts of the Pokémon Settlement too far to travel on foot.

"You think Edge got our note?" Intrepid struck up small talk.

"Hope so. If not him then another pokémon. Either way, it would still end up in his hands." Gallant placed his arms comfortably behind his head.

"Hope he isn't too mad that we didn't give him back his medallion." Valor commented, holding the strap of his backpack.

"Nah, I doubt it." Intrepid dismissed Valor's worry. "He only gets mad when we fight among ourselves or when we break rules. Theft shouldn't be too bad."

"We didn't steal it. We just never gave it back." Gallant asserted.

"We did kind of steal it, Gallant."

"Do you have regrets?"

"Not even a little."

"Neither do I. So, let's not think about the details too much. He lent it to us and we're putting it to good use. Who knows, maybe we'll get our own if we successfully join the Guild Collaboration. We can give it back then."

Valor and Intrepid nodded at Gallant's reasoning, the three psychic types feeling a low rumbling that alerted them to an approaching Onix.

"Our ride's here." Gallant hopped on along with his friends.

"I honestly don't think I'll ever get tired of riding this." Intrepid smiled happily.

"You and me both."

After all pokémon had climbed on, the Rock Snake Pokémon started off to drop its passengers at their designated stops.

* * *

XXX Pokémon Settlement - South of Inner Ring XXX

The passengers of the Onix disembarked after it stopped at a platform, the pokémon that got off being replaced by others that were waiting for the rock type's arrival. Among the pokémon that stepped down towards the flight of stairs leading to the main street were three Gallade, the footfalls of the surrounding populace filling the air as well as the conversations that were being held when they passed by.

"Let's find a nice place to eat."

"You think the Stone Emporium is open at this hour?"

"I think this is where she said we should meet."

"I recently bought some sweet smelling incense. You should swing by my place later."

"Ah, crap. I think I'm lost..."

"What a wonderful day to be alive."

The trio of psychic types paid no mind to what was being said around them, confidently strutting toward their important destination. A few more minutes of walking in relative silence and they arrived at the structure of interest. The Guild Collaboration Building.

Smiling in anticipation, the fighting type companions approached the double doors, Gallant reaching for the left handle and pushing it open. At the same time, the right door swung open and out stepped three dark types: A Zoroark followed by an Absol and, finally, an Umbreon. The Zoroark glanced at the youths briefly on his way out but the other two ignored them. The Gallade inspected the dark types that made their way into the loose crowd, admiring the features of the three pokémon. The gold rings on the Umbreon's hide, the scythe growing out of the Absol's head and the Zoroark's wicked crimson hair and claws. No lie, they looked awesome.

Done gawking, the psychic types walked into the building, not wanting to block other pokémon. From the entrance, they noticed not many pokémon were in the building, lower level or upper, probably because of the early hour. Not wasting any time, they made for the first floor counter which three Kecleon stood behind. The normal types greeted them with welcoming simles as they got closer and the two groups found themselves standing face to face.

"Yes, good morning. Welcome to the Guild Collaboration." The one in the centre addressed them. "Always glad to see new faces. How may we help you? Here to request a job?"

Valor stepped in front of his friends and engaged the Kecleon in conversation.

"No, we're... Um... Would you by any chance be accepting more pokémon to your ranks?" He started. "Because we would like to became a part of your building. We're here to see if we can take some jobs. If possible."

"...Oh? Oh!" The one on the right stood on his seat and placed his hands on the counter, his colors fluctuating rapidly. "You do? That's wonderful news! Wonderful news, indeed!"

Valor tilted his had at the overreaction, wondering how what was asking could elicit such a response. Noticing this, the Kecleon calmed down and spoke in a normal tone.

"My apologies, it's just that it's been such a long time since we last had some pokémon join us." The Color Change Pokémon explained. "There's been lots of jobs coming in lately, you see. True, we have quite a bit of units out there doing work but some of them come back injured or fatigued and there's only so much they can do in the allocated times."

"We haven't had the efficiency to send teams of pokémon out as frequently as we want lately, leaving clients to wonder when their requests would be taken care of. Some of them eventually get fed up and leave which makes us lose out on costs." The one in the middle continued with a more level tone than his partner. "Jobs arrive faster than our pokémon can be dispatched. Putting your life on the line isn't exactly the dream career of most pokémon. We need all the help we can get to keep up with our requests is what we're saying." He leaned forward. "As a business, we're obligated to tell you the possible risks of our service and we appreciate you taking an interest in the Guild Collaboration. Do you truly mean to join us?"

The Gallade nodded confidently with no pause or hesitation.

"Then by all means!" The Kecleon on the right lifted a section of the counter and motioned for them to walk into the back room after him. "Follow me and we'll get you processed and integrated into our network. Come on, come on! Don't be shy." He grinned.

The dual types did so, following the normal type into the room he introduced to them, door closing gently behind them. The room was a five-by-five meter square holding, left and right walls lined with file cabinets, a single table in the centre, a long bench in front of it and a lone chair behind it. The Kecleon offered the bench to the aspiring psychic types while he opened one of the drawers of a cabinet and pulled out some documents. Paperwork in hand, the Kecleon took a seat in front of them.

"Here. Just read through this carefully, fill out the form and sign your names at the bottom. This is a contract that makes your being a part of the Guild Collaboration official." The normal type opened the file and placed it in front of the three Blade Pokémon.

Gallant and Intrepid watched as Valor pulled the file toward him, grabbing the pen offered and started filling out the contract. It was all standard procedure. Names, gender, their home realm, their individual types, whether they were citizens or visitors of the Pokémon Settlement, terms of agreement, reasons for joining, Egg Group (why?), how many pokémon the team their forming would consist of and, finally, the name of the group they want to create...

The fighting types blinked at that last bit. A team name wasn't something they had yet considered when they decided to become a hired assault team. They looked at each other and back at the Kecleon with unsure expressions.

"Hm?" The normal type looked down at the part they hadn't yet filled out. "Come now, you don't have a team name yet? I can't complete your onboarding with us unless you finish the whole thing. Please, think of something. Anything."

"Mmm..." Intrepid placed a finger under his chin before smiling in finality. "I got it! You can call us the Cutie Mark Cru-"

Valor immediately and urgently slapped his hand over Intrepid's mouth. "Don't listen to him!"

The Kecleon blinked in shock, watching as one of the Gallade held down his friend who was laughing through his hand. Apparently, some kind of joke was made but it flew over his head.

Gallant chuckled at his friends' antics, grabbed the pen, jotted down over the final entry and pushed the folder back towards the Kecleon.

"Here"

"Thank you." The Color Change Pokémon beamed. "Psychic Blades, huh?"

Valor and Intrepid stopped fooling around and looked at Gallant at the mention of their potential team name. He shrugged.

"It's short notice and kind of straight forward. Pretty much describes what we are."

"That it does." The Kecleon stamped on the completed document. "It's done. You're now a part of the Guild Collaboration."

Gallant, Intrepid and Valor watched their handler reach under the desk and mess around a bit. After some few seconds, he retrieved three medals of identification, similar in design to the one belonging to Edge and placed them on the wooden surface.

"For you. As per your signed contract, you each receive your very own medals of identification as means to enter or exit the Pokémon Settlement as you please. You're working with us now. Carry them with honor."

The young pokémon smirked, unable to resist the positive emotion resonating among the three of them. They collected their medals and placed them in their bags.

"The jobs on the bulletin board of the second floor in this building can now be accepted by you. You can start now or any time this week but be warned, going a full week without accepting jobs could lead to monetary compensation or termination of a contract. To prevent that, you would have to turn in a highly persuasive written report of why you couldn't make the deadline and it must be a good reason. I wouldn't worry too much about it, though. Just keep doing your job in regular intervals and you'll be fine. It's all about commitment."

The trio of Gallade nodded in understanding.

"Very good."

He held out his hand and one by one, the newly accepted Gallade exchanged handshakes with him.

"Thank you for joining us. Be sure to do us proud... Psychic Blades."

* * *

XXX Blizzard Peaks - Snowy Trail, Miles from Pokémon Settlement XXX

A continuous, unforgiving cold wind blew through the air, making the leaves of the tall, snow-covered trees rustle heavily, adding to the bleak atmosphere that surrounded the territory of ice types. Six pokémon advanced with purpose, leaving behind them separate depressions in the three inch high snow from where they stepped. A Weavile with a perpetual smirk on his face, a Glaceon next to him with an unconcerned frown, two Avalugg, one in front of the other and a pair of Froslass holding hands and bringing up the rear. Every so often, one would say something to strike up a conversation in hopes of killing time but they never lasted long, the pokémon traveling together all having different tastes and relations from the other. Frostbite and Hailey only ever wanted to speak with each other, the Avalugg chose to remain silent, while Yuki and Onna were... Different.

"No matter how many times we do this, I can't get used to how long it takes." Frostbite mentioned. "We've been out here since yesterday morning, a whole day and night passed yet we still aren't even halfway there."

"Avalugg are slow." Hailey pointed out. She wasn't trying to be condescending. It was the truth.

"Our strength lies in our endurance. We could leave you with all the supplies to make the transaction on your own and head back if you so desire." Berg offered.

Frostbite's smirk progressed into a toothy grin, hidden from the pokémon behind him.

"Got nothing to say, huh, Frost? Then please keep your comments to yourself. Mind your friend while you're at it."

The Glaceon tried to turn and level a glare at the large ice type but refrained when she felt Frostbite's hand on her head. It calmed her as always. She looked up at him and he smiled down at her. She didn't smile back, though. It didn't matter to him, either way and he rubbed her scalp affectionately

"Chill out, Hailey. We're all just kidding around."

"Chill out? Is that a joke?"

"It's a joke, yes. Laugh it up."

Hailey chewed a bit of skin inside her mouth in an attempt to tolerate the pun. She wanted to say something but chose not to. Instead, she just walked a little closer to the Weavile who kept his hand on her head, careful to not let his razor-sharp claws hurt her.

"Fufufu... You two get along well as always." A Froslass hovered her hollow body joyfully next to Frostbite.

"Inseparable." Came the other's plain response next to Hailey.

"It's been like that for a long time." The Sharp Claw Pokémon casually replied. He closed his eyes with a smile and shrugged without a care in the world. "She's quite literally the only pokémon that matters to me other than myself."

"Hmmm..." Yuki wrapped her arms around Frostbite's shoulders from behind as he walked. "If only you'd show some of that affection to other pokémon, Frost. But all of it goes to Hailey. So hurtful." She turned to the Glaceon, still clinging to the dark type. "Most Weavile are cruel and tend to not care about anything at all. You're one special pokémon, you know that?"

"Let go of him."

Yuki smirked mockingly, refusing to let go and curious as to what Hailey would do. Onna remained silent and watched her twin.

"Let. Go of him." The ice type Eeveelution repeated, sounding more forceful but scarcely changing her tone or expression.

"Aaaahhhhn~ That killing intent is wonderful, Hailey." The ghost type giggled in amusement. Then she stared at her with dead, empty eyes. "It's completely unbecoming of a cute pokémon such as yourself."

"Tch."

"Cut it out, Yuki. You're upsetting her."

"Aw, you're no fun." Yuki's eyes went back to normal and she peeled herself off of Frostbite.

"We're not here to have fun, this is an important trip we're making." Berg spoke in his deep voice. "Please, stop messing about and stay focused. We could be attacked while your guard is low."

"Don't fret, Berg." Yuki placed a delicate hand under her chin. "The wild pokémon here are too afraid to attack us. They never do whenever Onna, Frost, Hailey and I are present. It's too overbearing."

"What's too overbearing?"

"Blood." Onna simply stated.

"Beg your pardon?"

"What Onna means is..." Yuki floated forward and clasped her hand with her sister's. "Wild pokémon won't attack us because the scent of spilled blood is too focused in one area. We absolutely reek of it. Fufufu. But..." She smiled at the Weavile and Glaceon. "None more than these two. Even instinct-driven pokémon like them know better than to provoke such obvious killers."

The Avalugg looked at the two pokémon leading the group. He knew of their exploits to appease their Legendary Pokémon but never suspected until now that it would be a major reason why hostiles would be unwilling to target them, considering how viscious some of them can get. Their scent never bothered him or, indeed, any other pokémon back in the Ice Realm seeing as the Ice Realm's entire history consisted of making... Offerings to Kyurem. It never came up and he just figured it was because they would almost always travel as a medium-sized party. Frostbite chuckled lightly and Hailey said nothing. The whole group chose to remain silent after that, walking dutifully toward their destination. It was still a ways and they each wondered who would be next to open up a dialogue.

* * *

XXX Pokémon Settlement - Guild Collaboration XXX

Three young psychic hopefuls sat at a table on the first floor of the Guild Collaboration Building, watching a few pokémon come and go as they waited for their client who was to be notified by a Swablu that had been dispatched to find and tell him of their involvement in his request. Gallant raised the sheet of paper with the details of the job they accepted in front of his face: A simple escort mission to the Seismic Highlands, ranked two and a half stars. Something they chose to ease them into their new career. Not too complicated but not too simple either.

Seconds turned into minutes, the former fairies opting to just sit in silence for the most part. The main door opened and in walked, not their client but a trio of water types; Greninja, Empoleon and Samurott, not that they knew their species names at the moment. The aquatic pokémon walked up the stairs and out of their vision, to accept a job, they guessed. Nothing to focus on, the psychic types turned back to each other.

"You guys nervous?" Gallant asked.

"A little, yeah. I mean, this is our first job, after all." Intrepid replied. "We don't know what to expect out there."

"We'll be fine." Their eyes fell on Valor. "We should just keep focused, that's all. We have each other's backs so I say there's nothing for us or our client to worry about."

They shared encouraging smiles with each other. It's true that they gave each other a hard time more often than not but there was no doubt whatsoever that they supported one another more than anything. They looked back down at the sheet of paper for a few seconds before switching to look at the decor of the building. Minutes continued to pass until the doors swung open, a Smeargle carrying a large bag on his back being led by a Swablu walking in. The flying type landed on their table and faced the normal type.

"This is them." The Swablu then faced the fighting types individually. "It's all you now. Good luck out there." Done, the blue bird flew up the stairs, out of sight.

The Gallade stood from their table, walked up to the Smeargle and greeted him like the relatively polite pokémon they were.

"Good morning." Valor bowed, his friends following suit.

"Yes, yes, good morning!" The Smeargle greeted enthusiastically. "So, you're the strapping pokémon that accepted my request, hm?"

"We are, yes."

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's be off. Follow me."

So they did. The Gallade walked out of the building in tow of the Painter Pokémon. They looked at his bag curiously and he spoke up to them on their way to an Onix Transit.

"Allow me to fill you in on the details of my request." He begun. "I'm an artist, you see. A traveling artist. I've created various paintings and illustrations, all sold to the Museum of Fine Art here in the settlement. Ever been?"

They shook their heads, no.

"Well, it doesn't matter for now. What matters is that I've hit artist block as of late." He sighed, followed by the Blade Pokémon up a flight of stairs. "I can draw just fine but it's been quite a while since I created something outstanding. You may not think of us artists as much but we do have our rivals. This is my way of living and I can't make my living if pokémon are buying works that aren't mine."

They climbed onto an Onix that had just arrived to drop off and ferry pokémon.

"'What does this have to do with going to the Seismic Highlands?' You might ask. Well, you heard that dragons had attacked it recently?"

They nodded. It was something they found out about the first time they were in the large city.

"Yes, of course you do. It really shook up the figurative storm. As the news states, Team Blaze really tore it up when they went all out against those trouble-making dragons. The devastation reported was something that inspired me."

They young pokémon looked at him quizzically. He blinked, then realized what he made himself sound like.

"Oh, no! Nonononono! Not like that! I'm not saying I advocate violence." He waved his arms hysterically. "I'm just saying that such a scene would be breathtaking when immortalized on canvas." He held has hands away from himself and fashioned them to look like an imaginary plaque. "The sight of a battlefield ripped asunder by opposing pokémon parties. The devastation acting as a symbol for the warriors that emerged victorious from fighting for the good of all pokémonkind. Don't you agree?"

The Psychic Blades looked at each other in contemplation. It did sound rather appealing when he put it that way. They all felt the Onix skid to a halt and they disembarked off it to make room for other pokémon. They walked in silence down the stairs and down the street on the way to the gate that would lead them to the route which led to the rocky terrain of the Seismic Highlands. Thanks to the transit, they wouldn't have to walk for long and in no time, they stood in front of the Southern Gate. They all flashed their medals and the stationed Klinklang raised the gates for them.

"This is it." He turned to them with a smile. "Before we proceed further, we should properly introduce ourselves to each other. My name is Oscar. How do you do?"

"Valor. Pleased to meet you."

"Intrepid. Nice to meet ya."

"Gallant. It's a pleasure."

"Excellent." The Smeargle nodded in acknowledgment of their names, the gate behind him now fully raised. "Let's be off then. I am in your care, Psychic Blades."

All four pokémon walked past the gate and out of the Pokémon Settlement, each determined to carry out each of their goals.

* * *

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Breathtaking. Utterly breathtaking. That was the only way to describe the view as Darkrai flew from a high altitude over the seemingly endless ocean. Mew-as-Abra rested with its belly over his shoulder, having teleported them above the glittering mass of water and instructed him to fly in a specified direction to the east. As aquatic pokémon like Dragonair and Gyarados broke the surface and leaped majestically back into the ocean, Mew felt it was a pity that not many pokémon could appreciate the beauty displayed before the two Legendary Pokémon. As Darkrai continued to soar through the air, he could make out an island slowly start to become visible in the distance. He knew what it was but never got to see it with his own eyes. An island consisting of heavy plant life. Two meter high tall grass on its surface with truly massive trees that reached the clouds and were as thick as buildings, anchored everlastingly into the ground, never to be brought down by any kind of hostile weather or attacks from other pokémon, topped off with leaves in such ridiculously high volume that they expanded almost as wide as the island itself. As they got closer, the dark type could also make out flying types moving back and forth between trees, holes carved into their gigantic trunks and even some close to the ground. No buildings or similar structures to be seen, just nature around for miles living in harmony with its flying type occupants. An island known to all as the Flying Realm.

"We can stop here." Darkrai halted at Mew's instruction. "If we get too close we might get attacked like last time."

"We weren't in any danger."

"We can't fight them either. I'm sure you remember that."

"I do. No need to worry."

The point Mew was trying to make was that Legendary Pokémon were to act as the protectors of the lands, not their aggressors. Although, seeing as the Flying Realm has eight Legendary Pokémon caring for them, such an act as attacking it would count as straight up suicide.

"Tee hee. Look at it, Darkrai. Isn't it amazing? And this is just one realm! There's tons of them and all- Um... Most of them are equally as beautiful." As an Abra, Mew's eyes were already closed so it was hard to see the expression of dismay it wore.

"You're referring to the Ghost Realm, right?"

"..."

"Mew?"

"Nothing. It's nothing." The Abra smiled.

Darkrai could hear the disappointment in the psychic type's voice and he changed the subject. "Do Lugia and Ho-Oh both live on that island?"

"Just Ho-Oh. He's in there somewhere. Lugia lives underneath the island, deep in the depths of the ocean. Something as simple as Lugia flapping his wings can cause storms and hurricanes, and because of that, he lives by himself in an unknown location underwater where his power is harmless."

"Sounds familiar."

"Don't do that, Darkrai."

"...I'm sorry." The dark type apologized, carrying on the conversation. "I assume Entei, Raikou and Suicune live there as well?"

"Oh, yes. Those three are extremely loyal to Ho-Oh. Were he to ever change locations, they'd follow without question. Though, sometimes they do visit the mainland to do their own thing."

"How?"

Mew giggled. "Easy. Suicune can walk on water, so-"

"He carries them!?" Darkrai asked incredulously.

"What? My word, no! But thanks for that hilarious mental image... Anyway, he freezes the water as he runs and makes an ice bridge of sorts for them to cross from the Flying Realm to the Tempest Peaks and back again whenever they need to return. Pretty handy, huh?"

"That's quite something, yes." Darkrai placed a hand over his mouth in thought. Eight Legendary Pokémon in a single location. Five were accounted for, that left Articuno, Zapdos and... "Moltres."

"Hm? What about her?"

"She's on fire." He stated simply. "Wouldn't that cause problems for the plant life?"

"No. Like Rapidash, she can regulate her flames so that they don't burn what they don't have to." Mew watched Darkrai nod in understanding and the psychic type continued. "Unlike Entei, Raikou and Suicune, the Legendary Birds are free spirits in that they aren't always around. They visit the mainland more often than the Legendary Beasts. Articuno visits the Blizzard Peaks so it can rest in its preferred climate, Zapdos favors the Tempest Peaks because of its occasional lightning storms and Moltres roosts near the Volcanic Summit because it enjoys the temperature there. Questions?"

"None."

"Fantastic. On to the next location!"

Mew used Teleport!

* * *

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A dim light formed in between trees and expanded into a flash. As the energy dissipated, two pokémon appeared in its wake, a tall dark one and a small yellow one perched on his shoulder. The dark type looked around. They were in a forest. A really thick and humid one. Tall grass and trees grew so close to each other and were connected by multiple vines that it would be difficult for even an average sized pokémon to traverse properly.

"Welcome to- Swarm!"

Darkrai quickly crouched down and a swarm of loudly buzzing Combee flew over Mew and himself.

"Whew... Anyway, welcome to Swarm Forest."

"It's noisy."

"It sure is. Listen to all that life." Mew placed a paw next to his ear and listened to noises made by the many bug pokémon inhabiting the forest, the loudest of which were made by Nincada. "The Bug Realm isn't far from here. How much of it do you know of?"

"Just that it exists." The Pitch Black Pokémon shrugged.

"So you're not aware of its Legendary Pokémon?"

"Last I remember, it doesn't have one. Does it?"

"Mmmmmmm, yes and no." The disguised pokémon placed a finger over its mouth. "Arceus never created a Legendary Pokémon for the Bug Realm. It just kind of formed on its own over time. The longest lived pokémon there is Seraph, a Volcarona. It started as a simple Larvesta, the only one of its kind. Bug pokémon came and went, generation after generation but Seraph remained, undying. As time moved on, weeks became months which became years. Decades passed until one day, it became powerful enough to evolve into Volcarona. Its evolution was so great that its flames lit up the night sky, making it appear like a second sun. The bug types of this forest were so awe-inspired by such a display of power that they begun worshiping it as if it were a deity. For that, Arceus named it Seraph and it created its own massive hive that became the Bug Realm. Because of the nature of its creation, the Bug Realm is completely disconnected from the rest of the world. They don't even speak the same language as us, making them the most organized wild pokémon to date."

Darkrai stared at the pokémon on his shoulder, dumbstruck by the story he was just told.

"That's pretty amazing."

"Isn't it?" New Species Pokémon giggled. "This just proves that pokémon running on instinct alone can be capable of great things under the right circumstances."

"Hmn." The dark type nodded at Mew in agreement.

"Okay, I feel my form destabilizing so let's make one more trip and head home."

Once again, the psychic type teleported them out of the area.

* * *

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A flash of light later and the two Legendary Pokémon warped in on the next area. Darkrai took in the look of the terrain. His first guess was that they were in another forest but that wasn't quite it. The ground was flooded with five inches of muddy water. In allocated points around him, the water ran deeper with algae forming on its surface. Slim, yet tall trees grew around them, leaves thick and branches drooping low from their weight. It wasn't a forest, it was a swamp.

"This is the Damp Everglade. It happens to be connected side by side with Swarm Forest and... The other forest."

"Spectral Forest."

"I don't like to be reminded of it." The Legendary Pokémon turned its head away.

"I noticed."

"Can we not talk about it?" Mew's ear twitched in agitation. "Lots of pokémon were killed and I can hear their wails from here."

"I understand. I prefer not to think about what Giratina did, myself." The dark type raised his hand and petted the head of the pokémon on his shoulder. "I'm curious. Did the Poison Realm form the same way the Bug Realm did? They have no Legendary Pokémon to nurture them, either."

"Oh! I can answer that." Mew perked up. "Arceus equipped his Toxic Plate in order to transform into a poison type and raised them himself to a point where they could take care of themselves. The original prestigious generation he raised are nothing more than ancestors now but their teachings had been passed down over the years and as a result, the Poison Realm is still going strong. Mmmmmmm, I imagine he would have done the same for the Bug Realm had Seraph not done it for him. With those last two types covered, all the realms had been formed. Arceus could have created more Legendary Pokémon for them but after all he had done in creating the world, he reached his limit. He may be above us all in terms of power but turns out he has his limits as well, just like all pokémon. That's something important to remember: No matter what the circumstances and situations are, we're all pokémon at the end of the day. And we all share the same world so don't be shy about being free to make your own decisions."

Darkrai closed his eyes and sighed. That last part was most certainly directed at him and he appreciated Mew's efforts to make him feel better about himself. The psychic type was trying really hard to make him feel like he belonged and for that, he was grateful.

"Thank you, Mew."

"It's why I'm here." The pokémon on his shoulder smiled. "Now let's head home. That okay?"

"That would be nice."

Mew kicked its legs in joy and warped them out of the Damp Everglade.

* * *

XXX Mirage Island XXX

Mew and Darkrai reappeared on the New Species Pokémon's island, their little trip leaving them in a pleasant, uplifted mood. The small Legendary Pokémon hopped off of Darkrai's shoulder and transformed into its original pink-furred form with a sparkling flourish, having transported them in front of the pond surrounded by moderately large rocks.

"We're back!" The little bundle of fun dove into the water and floated on its back when it rose to the surface.

The small wild pokémon surrounded the returned inhabitants instantly, some joining Mew in the pond and swimming around happily while the flying types perching on the moss-covered rocks.

"Did you miss us?"

They made several cute sounds of affirmation. A Taillow flapped above Mew, an Oran Berry in its beak. The psychic type accepted it graciously and ate it whole.

"Thanks!"

Darkrai chuckled at the interactions Mew was having with the harmless pokémon, treating them as if they were family. A Pidgey joined the fray and landed on his shoulder. He looked at the tiny bird and noticed how loose and comfortable it was, a far cry to how pokémon usually reacted to his presence. Which reminded him...

"Tell me, Mew... How do you think Cresselia is doing?"

"Hm?" Mew had floated out of the water and was playing with the Taillow that had its attention. "Are you worried about her?"

"Quite a bit, yes. When I spoke to Latias, she brought up the implication that Cresselia had become ill because of overuse of her power. I thought about it a few times and it seems unfair that she did all that because of me."

"Don't beat yourself up over it." Mew replied dismissively, the Taillow standing on its head. "Cress is always more than happy to help pokémon. Uh huh. She was created with the power to counter yours, after all. Do you regret it?"

"A little, yeah."

"Hmmm... Hmmmmm..."

Darkrai hovered stationary as he watched Mew contemplate something or other. The psychic type gently wrapped its tail around the flying type on its head and placed it on the ground in front of the body of water. Then, with a flash, Mew transformed into a Ralts and looked up at Darkrai.

"I'll be back." The 'Ralts' waved and used Teleport to leave the islet paradise.

Darkrai blinked down at where Mew once was in confusion, wondering what the psychic type could be up to. Shrugging, he lifted his arm and looked at his wrist. Specifically, the Lunar Wing gifted to him by Mew that constantly reminded him of his lunar counterpart. Observing it for a few seconds, he took note of some black spots that formed on the trinket's surface. From sleeping on the ground, he figured. With his other hand, he started scratching at the dark spots, finding them rather hard to remove. When he added a little more force to it, a Pachirisu jumped from a branch over him into his open palm. It smiled up at him, held its short paws forward and offered him a Sitrus Berry. The dark type smiled and took the succulent berry from the electric type before taking huge bites out of it until it was gone.

"Thank you."

It smiled at him and curled up in his hand. Resting but not sleeping. Figuring it had the right idea, the Legendary Pokémon lowered his body to the ground, facing up at the cloudy sky. He placed the Pachirisu on his chest and splayed his arms outward, a group Rattata and Sentret joining him and cozying up against his body. He really appreciated it. Appreciated that he was accepted. And appreciated that Mew gave him a home and friendly company to live with. He sighed and closed his eyes as he awaited Mew's return, resting but not sleeping.

* * *

XXX Psychic Realm XXX

Cresselia levitated a few inches off the ground as she floated through one of her realm's green houses, inspecting the many, many rows of plants and berries being attended to by some Kadabra and Grumpig. Accompanying her were Latios and Latias, the twin Eon Pokémon that served double duty as her retainers and close companions. The powerful dragons chatted with each other behind her while the Lunar Pokémon plucked a single Tomato Berry from a berry plant and tasted it, finding it to be scrumptiously ripe.

"We can harvest these." Cresselia told a passing Manipulate Pokémon. She turned to her and smiled respectfully at her leader.

"Ah, yes, of course. It shall be done, my Queen." She bowed and left to fetch a basket.

As the Grumpig departed to the edges of the green house, the psychic ruler of the floating realm turned her attention to a Kadabra using Psychic to move berries from a plant into a basket he had prepared in advance.

"My dear." The Psi Pokémon looked at her and then stood at attention, prompting her to continue. "Are the Ganlon and Colbur Berries growing as we predicted?"

"Yes, my Queen." He nodded. "The Solrock make things really convenient for growing produce."

They faced the centre of the ceiling and monitored a Solrock using Sunny Day to help the crops photo-synthesize. It would be done in a few hours, at which point the blinds of the green house would be lowered to give the impression of night time, allowing the Psychic Realm to grow plants at their preferred pace rather than relying on their usual seasonal growth patterns. Since they had friendly ties with the Grass Realm, they got berry seeds at discounts whenever they were bought from the Pokémon Settlement. They had Celebi and Shaymin to thank for that.

"What about our Lansat and Starf berries?" Cresslia inquired.

The Kadabra sighed in disappointed and revealed the negative news. "I'm afraid half of them died no matter how much we carefully monitored them. They are quite difficult to grow."

"Which is why they are so expensive and on high demand." The psychic deity smiled gently down at her subject. "Do not stress yourself over it. We will have a party return to the Pokémon Settlement and purchase some from there."

"Yes, my Queen."

She nodded, satisfied and made her way to the exit, the Eon Pokémon following her closely.

They levitated out of the structure and onto the streets, greeted by a long road that lead to the central plaza flanked with tall lamp posts, off at this time of hour. A Sigilyph sentry flew above them as they traveled down the lane, Latias floating next to Cresselia on her right.

"Will the Pokémon Settlement really have Starf and Lansat Berries, Lady Cresselia? You said it yourself that they're both rare and on high demand."

"I imagine such an item wouldn't be readily available for just anyone without a proper requisition." Latios added from her left.

"Correct." The Lunar Pokémon nodded. "We'll chance it. If the party we send finds nothing, we can have them make a requisition then."

"How long do you think that would take, though?" Latias and her brother followed their queen around the plaza, watching as some of the citizens went on about their daily lives.

"However long it takes. We have a few of the berries already and it is not like we are lacking. It would just be good to have them ordered in advance before we run out of our own stock."

"Mm-hm, I see." Latias nodded before changing the subject. "How have you been feeling as of late, Lady Cresselia? I can see your vibrant color has already started returning to you."

"Very well, thank you, Latias." Cresselia smiled warmly. She focused a bit and created a Lunar Wing in front of her. She then went on to psychically wrap it around the wrist of a passing Gothorita who jumped in joy at the free gift from her ruler. "Just a little rest was all it took."

"Please don't push yourself too hard, though. A few days ago, you couldn't even stay awake. None of us want to see you like that." Latios commented worriedly. At this point, they had left the plaza and were climbing a long flight of stairs that led to Cresselia's luxurious living quarters.

"Do not fret, Latios. I can feel myself recovering to full strength by the second." She giggled. "I have quite a lot of endurance, if you recall."

"Which is why it came as such a shock to us when you collapsed from fatigue."

"It's nothing to worry about anymore but your concern for me is greatly appreciated." Cresselia stopped in front of her large double doors, next to which were stationed a pair of Malamar. She turned to the two dragons and left them with parting words. "I will return to my chamber to rest for a little while. I wouldn't want to worry you any more than I have to." She nodded at the siblings. "I'll be seeing you, Latios and Latias."

They returned her sentiment and watched as she entered her chamber when the Malamar held open the doors for her.

With loud creaks, the doors were shut behind her and Cresselia traversed the narrow, marble-floored hallway until she came face to face with another set of double doors, which she opened with her mind and proceeded into her rotunda. The flames on her psychic suspended, lotus flower-shaped candle holders were snuffed out, unneeded, owing to the bright sunlight filtered in from the stained glass windows at the back of the room. She passed her ornate pillars and made her way to her high perch in the centre of the room. Just as she levitated to the cushioned seat, she found crystal blue eyes staring back at her.

"Hi-hiiiiii~" Mew greeted, making space and patting the cushion for her to feel free to join it on her own seat.

Cresselia paused for just a moment, her surprise short lived before moving to settle down on her comfortable perch next to the New Species Pokémon. Mew smiled brightly at her and, after shaking her head with a chuckle, she smiled back at her little unannounced visitor.

"Mew. To what do I owe this pleasure?"

"Oh, nothing. I just wanted to check on you." Mew leaned against her affectionately. "You look like you've seen better days."

"Yes, well, I had a duty to uphold." She closed her eyes, Mew's body warm against her own. "It took a lot out of me."

"Right, right. The rapid creation of Lunar Wings. I heard."

"You heard? From whom?" Cresselia asked curiously. The Lunar Pokémon knew that Mew didn't visit the mainland enough to always be privy to affairs. Especially ones that happened so recently.

"From Darkrai."

Cresselia's eyes snapped open at the mention of the Pitch Black Pokémon's name and she gazed into Mew's lovely blue eyes.

"The two of you spoke? How?"

"He found my island."

The female psychic type thought for a second. "So, this means he is no longer on the mainland then?"

"Not anymore, no. Were you worried?"

"Yes, I was." Cresselia spoke. "I was informed by the flock of Sigilyph sentries that Darkrai had breached the Psychic Realm to safely return my dear Latios and Latias. I couldn't feel his presence in the Spirit Peaks anymore after that and I was worried he might have fled to a different populated area."

"I guess that makes two of you."

"What do you mean by that?"

"Reason I'm here is because he was worried about your well being after he spent a little time in the Spirit Peaks." Mew giggled. "It's really nice to see there's no bad blood between the two of you."

"Yes, well... Conflict only brings more conflict." She lowered her head. "It wouldn't do if there was any shared animosity between us. Is he still on your island?"

"Yes, he is."

"I see... Is your island protected?"

"It is. I gave him a Lunar Wing. My friends and I have been having peaceful nights. Nothing to worry about."

"So you can make those as well? I always wondered about that."

Mew gave her a coy smile and turned its head away mischievously. "All pokémon are a derivative of me in some way or another. This isn't anything new."

"So we are. Which is why it came as a surprise to me that you chose to live a quiet life on an uncharted island, considering your power is ranked right below Arceus and no one else."

"Hmph." The small psychic shrugged. "Arceus sure hit the jackpot when he created me. I never asked for all this power. I just want to enjoy my life the way I intend to. If I lost all my strength, I wouldn't be sad as long as I still got to interact with the pokémon I've grown to care about. That's how important freedom of choice is to me."

Cresselia said nothing more on the matter. There was nothing to be said. Mew made its choice and so did she. That's not say Mew was negligent, either. In spite of its indifferent attitude, she knew the psychic type would sometimes travel to the mainland to check up on things every so often as it was its duty as a Legendary Pokémon. As long as they were playing their parts in service to the world, Legendary Pokémon could pretty much act however they wanted. Speaking of which...

"Might you know where Thundurus is? Latias told me that he tried to attack the Spirit Peaks but Darkrai put him down."

"Boy, did he ever. I mean, yikes." Mew shook its head. "If I hadn't found him when I did, he could have died in a crevice in the Spirit Peaks. Had to treat him before returning him to Lando."

"Yes... I don't recall any instance of Darkrai holding back once he's been sufficiently provoked."

"He wasn't sorry about it, either. In fact, he stressed how glad he was that Thundurus was badly injured."

"Oh, dear." Cresselia sighed at Darkrai's violent tendencies. "Thundurus and Tornadus are not exactly pokémon I hold in high regard but I wouldn't ever wish any kind of misfortune on them."

"Yeah, Darkrai's a jolly dude like that." Mew laughed and Cresselia gave him a reprimanding look. "That being said, it was probably a good lesson for him. Maybe now he'll think twice about picking fights with- Tornadus!"

"Come again?"

"Tornadus. I just remembered that he's out there too."

"Ah. There's no reason to worry about him." Cresselia replied. "Word from the Pokémon Settlement states that he was brought down by one of their assault teams."

"Wow, really? Like, is that true?"

"Indeed."

Mew placed its paws over its mouth to mute its laughter but couldn't hold it in for long. "Pffft-Hahahaha! Wow, that must have been a serious blow to his ego."

"I imagine it was."

"Well, I think it's good that they both learned a valuable lesson from their little escapades and won't continue to act so recklessly in the future. Anything else I should be aware of?"

"Nothing that I'm privy to."

"Okay then. I guess that takes care of that." Mew transformed into an Abra and Cresselia quickly took notice of what the psychic type was up to.

"You're already leaving?"

"I am. I was only here to check how my favorite psychic type was doing, after all. Now that I'm sure you're fine, it's time for me to head back. I have pokémon waiting for me."

Cresselia smiled. "I understand. Thank you for the visit, Mew. Be sure to drop in any time."

"I will, thanks." Mew waved. "And don't you worry about Darkrai. I've got him under watch, safe and sound on my island. Rest easy, Cress."

"I will, thank you."

"Bye-byeeeeeee~"

Mew smiled one last time and used Teleport to return to Mirage Island, leaving the Lunar Pokémon alone in her throne room. Cresselia smiled at the empty space Mew left behind before closing her eyes, getting comfortable and falling into a peaceful slumber.

* * *

XXX Seismic Highlands - Afternoon XXX

A Geodude cried out in defeat, getting knocked away from the pokémon it wrongly antagonized and losing consciousness the instant it hit the rocky wall of the canyon that was being explored by the Psychic Blades and their protectorate. Gallant retracted his sword and returned to his placed at Oscar's left, Intrepid on his right and Valor behind him, creating a defensive formation around the Smeargle. That had to be, like, the twentieth Geodude they laid down, there sure were a ton of them. The normal type himself paid no heed to what was happening around him, instead taking in the scenery around them and periodically sketching something in a drawing pad he brought with him. He looked to his left, right and up at the passing mid day clouds, trying to find something inspiring, the narrow canyon that went on and on having gotten old fast.

The three psychic types around him were equally lax. After hours of traveling and the occasional wild rock type, they had started hoping that their entourage would happen on something interesting soon. They wouldn't say that, though, as they were here as bodyguards, not sightseers. After following the normal type over an upwards slope of the ground between the canyon, a bridge made its presence apparent to the group, one hundred meters long, four meters wide. Made of wood but sturdy as rock with five foot-high railings designed to keep pokémon from falling into the thousand foot chasm it was suspended over. Ecstatic, all four pokémon stood behind the railing on the right and marveled at the view.

"Damn. Would you look at that." Gallant held onto the support and peered over the edge, watching the river that passed in between the two cliffs.

"Isn't it beautiful?" Oscar commented and drew something in his sketch pad, truly taken by the sight before them.

"If I jumped, do you think the water would save me?" Intrepid asked.

Valor gave him a withering look. "From this height, it would be the same as hitting a pile of bricks. Don't try it."

Intrepid backed away from the edge and so did the others. When it looked like the party was going to resume their trip, the excitable psychic type ran for the edge and leaped over it, shouting out like the fun loving pokémon he was.

"Woooooooohooooooooooooooooooooooo~!"

Gallant, Valor and Oscar each wore blank facial expressions when they realized what Intrepid just did. Panicking, Gallant and Valor ran back to the edge of the bridge and held the railing while leaning over it, their eyes darting every which way as they searched frantically for their insane friend. They couldn't see him anywhere and thought of the worst.

"That crazy- Is he out of his mind!?" Gallant exclaimed, still peering over the edge.

Valor didn't reply, he was livid.

"Wha- Will your friend be okay!? What in the world could have made him decide to do such a thing!?" Oscar demanded, worried.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Intrepid replied next to the Smeargle. It took a few moments for him to take notice but when he did, the normal type flinched back in alarm.

"Intrepid! You're fine!"

"Of course, I'm fine." Intrepid shrugged at his companions. "I was just messing with you all. It's like you all forgot I can tele- Oomph!"

Intrepid hit the flat surface of the bridge with a burning lump on his head he received from an angry off Valor. The angry Gallade then picked his friend up shook some sense into him while holding onto his shoulders.

"Are you out of your mind, boy!?"

"I'm sorry..."

"You could have given us a heart attack!"

"I'm sorry..."

"What the hell do you have to say for yourself, huh!?"

"I-I'm sorry..."

"Damn right, you're sorry!" Valor let go of his thoroughly rattled ally and watched him try to balance on shaky legs. "You better not pull that crap again! I'm serious, Intrepid!"

"I won't. I'm sorry." The psychic type sheepishly rubbed the back of his head.

Oscar watched all this unfold with some amusement. He looked at Gallant who looked equally as pissed but not as confrontational. He laughed a little, deciding boys will be boys. When things died down, the group resumed their trek across the bridge and up a cresting path. For twenty minutes, they walked, their legs starting to kill thanks to the angle of the route. The psychic types were able to handle it better because of their training but since Oscar wasn't a fighter, he was nearing fatigue a lot faster than them and they took notice.

"Why don't you let me carry your bag, Mr. Oscar?" Valor offered.

"Would you? Isn't that too much trouble?" The Smeargle replied.

The Gallade smiled. "No trouble at all."

Oscar felt his bag get lifted off his shoulders and floated towards Intrepid who slung it over his own. The normal type sighed in relief of having lost the extra weight and smiled in gratitude at the generous psychic type.

"Thank you."

"No problem. It's why you hired us."

"Still, I'm grateful."

"You're welcome." The young psychic type smirked and looked ahead. "Ever been here before?"

"Once."

"Art related stuff?"

"Yes, that's right. Everything I do has been for my career." Oscar confirmed. "I had just been here briefly to draw a landscape. I haven't been this deep into the Seismic Highlands until today."

The sound of fist against rock was heard and a Geodude with a caved-in face careened passed Valor who kept the conversation going. "So you don't actually know what is you're looking for exactly?"

"No but written news reports in the settlement say it's not too far from here. 'Few kilometers, passed the bridge.'" Oscar grunted in exertion. "Wish it would have given warning about this hill, though."

"We're almost at the top." Valor held up his hand and gave the Geodude that blocked his path the mother of all headaches until it passed out. "According to your description, we won't have to do anymore climbing."

"What a relief." The Smeargle continued to climb, the others keeping his pace and they finally reached the top of the hill. "But all this impromptu workout is going to pay off when I finally lay my eyes on... The... Wonderful grassland?"

The four pokémon at the zenith of the hill stared ahead of themselves, taking in the more even land before them. Trees weren't many but the ones that were there had healthy, green leaves growing aplenty. Grass that used to be brown were invigorated, reflected in their vibrant green color. Further in the distance, they could see craters with black, burned out meteors sitting in them. They damaged the ground, yes, but the way some Spearow were roosting on them and the shrubbery that grew around them, it looked more scenic than devastating. It completely contradicted the figurative picture that the Smeargle painted for them.

"No... Nonononono!" Oscar raced into the open field and inspected it closely. "It's all gone! How could this happen? It's like... Some kind of miracle!"

"It still looks good, though." Gallant remarked as he Valor and Intrepid joined the existential Smeargle. "I'd like to see a painting of this."

"I cannot paint this... It isn't what I was expecting. My art is ruined before it even begun! Ruined, I tell you!" He dramatically placed his arm over his eyes.

"It's not so bad, Mr. Oscar... You could paint this as a symbol of, uh, peace maybe?" Intrepid tried to console the normal type.

"I suppose I could but there's always a symbol of peace everywhere you look in the Pokémon Settlement. It just isn't the same." The artist hung his head in disappointment. "To clarify, I wanted not just to make art but to create a statement that would forever remind every pokémon of the struggles we endure to keep that peace... But now that's ruined."

The Psychic Blades caught on to what he was getting at and they looked down at him apologetically.

"We're sorry."

"No, no, it's not your fault." He shook his head. "You did what you came here to do. My mission was a failure, not yours."

It was true but it didn't sit well with the psychic types to see their first client so crestfallen. Gallant stepped forward and placed a comforting arm on the Painter Pokémon.

"Still, we wish there was something we could do to-"

Suddenly the terrain started to tremble and before their very eyes the ground not far from them erupted, causing dirt and clods to rain down on them as an Onix made its presence known. It roared skyward and leveled its glare at the alerted band of pokémon. Just as the psychic types prepared to simultaneously protect their client and lay a beat-down on the rock type, two more crawled out of the surface of the earth and greeted them with equally intense glares as their cohort. Oscar retreated behind his hired bodyguards and the Blade Pokémon assumed battle stances.

"You can't be serious." Gallant sighed. "I get that wild pokémon pose a constant threat but we haven't gone an hour without getting attacked out here. What gives?"

"You haven't noticed?" Valor asked, extending his blades.

"Noticed what?"

"It's because of your smell."

"My smell? What do you..? Oh, come on! Still!?"

"Now that you mention it, you're carrying quite an extravagant scent on you. Did you buy some kind of super cologne?" Oscar inquired.

"No, I didn't!" Gallant's cheeks burned, sufficiently humiliated. "Intrepid covered me with the stuff the day before."

"Redolence sure is talented." Intrepid clarified, paying no mind to his friend's discomfort. "You should buy some stuff from her, Mr. Oscar. She sells incense jars and might start selling her wares in the Pokémon Settlement soon."

"I just might take you up on that." Oscar smiled and took a few more whiffs of Gallant. "And this is just an after scent? If I could buy one, I would. This trip wasn't all for naught, after all."

One of the ignored Onix gave a loud bellow to remind them of the danger they faced but the response wasn't one they predicted.

"Oh, shut up!"

An angry Gallant sent a Psycho Cut flying and decapitated the Onix on the left. Its cleanly severed head fell off its body and hit the ground, followed by the rest of it. A second crescent wave of purple energy cleaved the one on the right in two, courtesy of Valor. Deciding that its life was too important, the first Onix quickly burrowed its way into the soil in retreat.

"Huh. They aren't even that strong." Valor retracted his blade. "Turned tail at the first sign of danger."

"That's usually the case with Onix." Oscar commented from behind the group. "They only pose a threat to those weaker than them."

"And get bodied by everything else?" Gallant placed his hands behind his head.

"Bodied?"

"It's slang that means they get beaten up."

"Ah. Then yes, pretty much."

"The ones in the Pokémon Settlement must feel real useful then." Intrepid chuckled but stopped when he saw the frowns directed at him in course of his mean-spirited joke. "Sorry."

"So, what next, Mr. Oscar?" Gallant asked. "Still want to explore the Seismic Highlands a little more? Maybe find something else to use as a subject for your art?"

"No. I think we can just head back to the Guild Collaboration. I'll figure something out later. I may have hit a wall now but it isn't the end of the world..." He beamed, back in high spirits. "You did a good job today, Psychic Blades. Thank you for the escort."

They returned his smile. "You're wel-"

For a second time within that short period, the earth beneath them rumbled, only this time it was followed by a truly intimidating roar. They about faced and watched as a large, green pokémon slowly revealed itself from behind a rock formation. It stomped on with purpose, its intense glare piercing right through the gathered pokémon. It appeared to be agitated, probably from all the commotion stirred up by the Onix, breathing deeply and baring its fangs. On high alert, the psychic types extended their blades.

"What is that thing?" Gallant asked, unsure of just how strong the hostile pokémon is and whether they should pick a fight with it.

"Oh, dear... That's a Tyranitar!" Oscar cowered. "Change of plans, Psychic Blades. I'm incredibly sorry to ask this of you but do you think you can defeat it?"

"Why? If it's too strong, we can just Teleport you to safety."

"You don't understand. That thing absolutely cannot rampage here. It can really devastate the Seismic Highland to such an extent that it would irreversibly change its geographical outlook."

"That strong, huh? But isn't that kind of devastation what you wanted to draw inspiration from?"

"Not if it can be prevented, no. Please. I won't hold anything against you if you choose to end the mission here but please, stop it if you can."

After a short moment of thought, the Psychic Blades nodded and the Smeargle stepped back. The Armor Pokémon asserted its presence with another roar, sand bursting out of the holes in its body and surrounding the battlefield as it activated its Sandstream ability, the area soon engulfed in an unforgiving sandstorm. This put the pokémon involved on the edge but the Tyranitar wasn't done, using Rock Polish to reduce drag and increasing its speed to match that of the pokémon it would be contending with.

"Tch." Gallant grit his teeth and he along with his allies readied themselves to dance with the imposing rock type. "Make sure you stay back, Mr. Oscar. If it's as powerful as you say it is, things could get ugly."

The Smeargle was going to answer but, as if things couldn't get any worse, the ground underneath the Painter Pokémon rumbled and the Onix from before tore up beneath his feet, captured him in its mouth, twisted in the air and retreated a second time into the ground.

"..."

"..."

"..."

"SHIT!" The dual types shouted in unison, Gallant in particular feeling extra crappy since this was the second time a pokémon under his watch had been kidnapped.

"You guys take care of that thing!" Intrepid yelled out urgently. "I'll go rescue Mr. Oscar! ...If he's still alive..." He added that last part inaudibly before leaping down the hole the Onix left in its wake.

Gallant and Valor left that to their friend and faced the Tyranitar, shaken but fight capable. It held their gaze and waited for them to make their move. Gallant narrowed his eyes and stepped forward.

"Gallant, wait." Valor placed a hand on his shoulder to halt him.

Said pokémon stopped and faced his friend in askance. Valor's eyes glowed for a moment in concentration while he inspected the Tyranitar. Eyes dimming to normal, he spoke.

"I don't feel anything from it and I can't read its mind. It's a dark type. Psycho Cut and similar attacks won't work."

"So, up close and personal?"

"It's our only option."

A zephyr blew through the area as two thirds of the Psychic Blades stared down their mark. Blades extended, Gallant and Valor rushed down the destructive pokémon and it followed suit, so heavy was its body that it left deep prints in the grass it laid to waste just from running and reared its claws back at the same time the Gallade readied their weapons.

* * *

XXX Underground the Seismic Highlands XXX

Intrepid wore a determined expression as he fell down the shaft dug up by the Onix. He couldn't see or hear it, aware only of the encompassing darkness, wondering how deep the burrow actually went. The Gallade fell for fifteen more seconds before deciding to use Psychic to slow his descent, having no desire to hit solid surface at this speed when he finally met it. While he dropped at his own pace, he closed his eyes, crossed his arms over his chest and concentrated. A soothing ringing sound filled his ears as he meditated and a pair of glowing swords appeared and orbited around him.

"Just a little more."

Two more ethereal swords appeared and rotated around him with the others.

"One last time should do it."

A total of six swords formed and orbited him at incredible speeds before dissipating into pure energy and coating his body with it, empowering himself with Swords Dance. Intrepid then focused on his further descent into the dark pit, sighing in boredom but hoping that their client was fine. It would be bad if he died under their watch and would set a terrible precedence for their fresh team... At least he got his priorities straight. He wondered-

"Gah!"

Intrepid fought to stay balanced when his legs met a bending curve where and he slid erratically down the rest of the way, dirt shifting under his feet until it sloped into a horizontal shaft and he jogged forward a little more from the forced momentum. After stopping, the psychic type hummed and squinted his eyes, unable to make anything out in the darkness. Nodding to himself, he casted Flash and lit up the room, revealing a large, domed underground cavern with a high ceiling, stalactites hanging down dangerously yet stable.

A low growl made him take notice of the son-of-a-bitch Onix at the far end of the room that didn't take kindly to the bright flash. In anger, it charged at him with all its speed with the intent to mow the smaller pokémon down. Intrepid glowered at it as it approached. The Rock Snake Pokémon tried to ram it with its hard head and the Blade Pokémon responded with a fierce roundhouse that knocked its head to the side and sent its lower jaw flying off into the cave wall. That Swords Dance really did the trick.

From its open mouth, the kidnapped Smeargle fell onto the ground in a protective barrier while the Onix collapsed behind him.

"Mr. Oscar!" Intrepid ran to his side and helped him up by wrapping a soothing arm around him while holding on to his hand with the other. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine, thank you." The normal type dusted himself off. "I used Protect while in its mouth. It couldn't have chewed me up and swallowed even if it wanted to."

"Oh, thank goodness. Now we can rejoin my friends and uuuhhh... What are those?"

Oscar looked at the direction he was pointing at and noticed both small and mid-sized, quadruped steel-armored pokémon shuffling toward the felled Onix... And start eating it.

"...Those are Aron and Lairon. They eat minerals, as you can see. Their teeth and jaws are strong enough for them to eat metal."

"No kidding?" Intrepid continued to observe the Aron and Lairon feast upon the fallen rock type. "That's nuts. Anyway, we're done here. Let's head back, Mr. Oscar."

"Sounds good. I think I've had my fill of the Seismic Highlands."

Intrepid started to use Teleport but alas, fate once again had other plans. Loud thumps accompanied by rhythmic trembles that shook little rocks and pebbles around them. The Aron and Lairon took notice, scrambled away from the Onix's carcass and sought refuge within the divids and deep cracks in the edges of the cave. The tremors got louder and more fearsome as the seconds passed by and very slowly, very surely, a tall, black and silver, heavy steel type with intimidating horns and confident blue eyes marched with heavy steps out from one of the crevices at the end of the cave. It stalked deliberately around the fallen Rock Snake Pokémon, stopped and bellowed out another roar of the day.

Intrepid locked eyes with the territorial pokémon and felt his heart skip a beat, his fighting spirit getting the best of his judgment at the sight of a powerful looking foe and he stepped forward with all the certainty in the world, extending his blades.

"Don't tell me you intend to fight it?"

"I do."

"But you don't have to."

"I want to."

"Aren't your friends waiting for you?"

"You don't have to worry about Gallant and Valor. They know how to handle themselves well, there's no doubt about that. That green pokémon is toast." The Gallade cracked his knuckles.

Oscar inspected the Blade Pokémon. The smile on his face spoke volumes. He was practically oozing excitement and confidence and he doubted he could be persuaded to stand down. The Smeargle was going to say something else but Intrepid beat him to it.

"Let me tell you something, Mr. Oscar." His grin turned predatory. "I had only evolved a few days ago and apart from training and small-fry wild pokémon, I haven't yet had a proper match." He walked towards the steel type and it took on a low primal stance. "Gallant and Valor fought each other and then picked a fight with these two pokémon in a bar in the Pokémon Settlement."

"They what?"

"I, on the other hand, haven't yet received a fine bout since my time of evolution." He got into his battle stance, influence by his own natural need to battle and the empowering effect of Swords Dance. "It's time for Intrepid to make his debut. You don't mind, do you? I promise I'll make it quick."

The Iron Armor Pokémon savagely howled at Intrepid, fog and spittle flying from its open maw and stomped on the ground, dragging its feet along the hard surface and leaving deep trails in the solid rock. It shook its head side to side like the wild pokémon it was and growled at the psychic type. Seeing as the confrontation was about to happen, Oscar fled back, grabbed his tail and motioned like he was painting something, a Barrier forming around him. Feeling he was safe, he monitored Intrepid from a distance.

Intrepid simply smiled and attacked with no warning. The Blade Pokémon charged forward and was eye to eye with the Aggron in mere moments. The Aggron's eyes widened after witnessing the speed of the psychic type and a fist was slammed into its gut that dented inwards from the force, punctuated by a metallic sound. The wild pokémon snapped its eyes shut in pain before opening them in anger. The blow hurt, no doubt but it did little to move the heavy pokémon from its spot. Its deadly claws glowed with the power of the steel type and swung it at the fighting type with all the strength it could muster, the resulting wind resistance making a noise as it went. Intrepid ducked underneath it easy and rose back up with a knee to its side, leaving another dent as flesh overpowered metal. It staggered on one leg and Intrepid followed up with a back kick that knocked it off its feet, landing on the ground with a heavy thud and throwing up dust. It tried to get up and the young psychic type used Low Sweep to kick its arms out from under it and it tasted dirt once more. Not done in the least, Intrepid grabbed it by a horn, lifted its head off the floor and slugged it in the chin as hard as he could which sent it rolling back a few meters.

The Aggron shifted back up onto its feet and nursed its wounds, all the while glaring at the aggressive fighting youth. He returned its frustration with a smirk. Narrowing its eyes, the Iron Armor Pokémon retreated with hefty steps toward the downed Onix. Intrepid thought it was done but he couldn't have anticipated what it did next. The wild pokémon opened its gaping jaws and feasted upon its carcass. Intrepid and Oscar's eyes widened in shock, though considering what they witnessed earlier with the Aron and Lairon, it shouldn't have come as a surprise. The Aggron may have been slow in battle movement but it really put away the Onix like a champion, devouring half its body in record time and providing itself with minor healing. The immensely heavy pokémon faced Intrepid once again, raised its claws and started chipping away at its own body. The ringlets on its arms, ringlets on its legs, cylinders along its tail, a few plates from its back and its heavy shoulder pads. One after the other, the discarded pieces fell and made deep depressions in the cave floor from their incredible weight, the Aggron's Autotomize making it lighter, nimble and more importantly, faster. Then to compensate its lost armor, the steel type used Iron Defense to harden the remainder of its body, effectively granting itself both speed and durability. Ready for more, the Iron Armor Pokémon resumed its battle and stormed toward its target.

It was Intrepid's turn to express shock and concern, the Aggron moving as fast as he did prior to its boosts and closing the distance between them in seconds. On reflex, he raised a blade and parried a Metal Claw aimed at his chest, the collision creating bright sparks from the resulting friction. With its defenses exposed, Intrepid used his other arm to aim a punch into its own belly but found his fist caught in the Aggron's palm halfway in. With a grunt, the steel type yanked the young Blade Pokémon into its space and clawed him across the gut. It made him grit his teeth in pain and he felt himself pulled once more and thrown into the air behind it. Body glowing, the Aggron anchored itself on all four of its limbs and fired a concentrated beam of energy at the psychic type.

"Tch." Intrepid clicked his tongue and used Protect while extending his arms at the oncoming Flash Cannon and creating an impenetrable barrier around himself. The steel type energy beam collided with the aforementioned barrier and caused a magnificent explosion, leaving photon particles glimmering in the air and masking the defensive fighting type.

Squinting its eyes at the display, the Aggron waited for its opponent and he made himself known via a well placed blow against its back, its discarded metal plates forcing it to absorb less of the damage than it could have. The territorial steel type growled and swatted its arm behind it but Intrepid was already gone and delivered a second punch in its side, its metal body bending to his offensive pressure and denting from the abuse. It tried again but the result was the same, a flash telling it the psychic type vanished and reappeared behind it was again, striking with an inwards kick using his shin that impacted loudly against its metal hide. Having enough, the Aggron roared and stomped on the ground, the earth shifting and great stalagmites jutting outwards around it. Intrepid blinked in alertness and leaped back, just barely avoiding getting clipped by a rising sharp rock from the Stone Edge. The Aggron quickly took notice of him and broke of a piece of one of the stalagmites before tossing it like a javelin at the recovering psychic type. Not having enough time to avoid it, Intrepid recast Protect and the hefty slab of earth was reduced to smaller rocks and dust against his barrier. The Iron Armor Pokémon didn't let up, tossing more and more rocks at the defending Blade Pokémon, Intrepid starting to feel like his Protect wouldn't last much longer and choosing shut it off when he saw his foe ready another rock toss. Back in control, Intrepid used Teleport to instantly get into the Aggron's space and threw an uppercut at its jaw. He clearly underestimated just how nimble the Aggron had become, however, as it leaned its head back and retaliated with a jab to his gut, Intrepid nearly suffering a severe wound and managing to block the attack by crossing his arms together, getting sent flying back from the force.

Far on the other side of the room, Oscar watched in awe as his hired protector fought against the wild pokémon nearly twice his height and thousands of times his weight. He certainly wasn't holding anything back. But the most peculiar thing about the psychic type that Oscar noticed was the constant smile on his face while he battled. He knew that fighting types couldn't control themselves when they met a foe they could contend with but this is the first time he bared witness it. Even with the bruises and dirt on him, Intrepid never stopped smiling. He was in the zone of battle and no one was going to stop him from enjoying it. Secretly, he wished he had his drawing pad with him.

The Aggron roared when a slash of its right claws was deflected by its persistent opponent and it responded with slamming its right arm against the ground, creating a shockwave that knocked Intrepid back. The pokémon equal parts fighting and psychic hit the ground after his short flight and the Aggron leaped up before descending down upon his prone body. Any other pokémon would have proper screwed at this point but he was a Gallade. With a growing smirk, he teleported from the floor to a safer distance, the Aggron's use of Heavy Slam leaving a crater in the ground where he once was. It couldn't see yet and Intrepid took full advantage of that, using Teleport to warp himself above the Aggron and drive an extended blade into its back. It resulted in his ears getting assaulted by a ferocious yet pained roar, the Iron Armor Pokémon standing up flailing side to side, trying to shake the psychic type off to no avail. While having his blade shafted in his opponent's back, Intrepid slammed fist after fist into the back of its neck, the sound of metal being pounded resounding in the cavernous area. Having enough of the abuse it was being forced to suffer, the Aggron fell backwards and Intrepid leaped off before he got turned into a pancake. The Aggron got up slowly, fatigue starting to catch up to it, the biggest advantage prestigious pokémon had over wild pokémon being their far more advantageous training and living conditions. As a wild pokémon, there was only so much it had access to in the way of strengthening itself. It was no match. But it couldn't give up. It wouldn't give up. This little nuisance was in its territory and it wasn't about to let it get away with that.

With an aggressive roar, the Iron Armor Pokémon got up and charged at Intrepid horns first, seeking to gore him into submission. With a grin, Intrepid caught it by the horns and angled his legs back to stop its forward momentum, leaving the Aggron utterly flabbergasted. When they slowed to a stop, Intrepid raised a knee while pulling the steel type's head down and nailed it in the chin once, twice and a third time, harder than the others that staggered the Aggron back. It shook its head in pain and frustration, glaring at Intrepid who made a Beedrill line for it with his blades drawn and a confident glimmer in his eyes. The Aggron wasn't having anymore of what he planned and used Roar to blow him away from it, sending the shocked pokémon hurtling at the the cave wall near the stalactites. Intrepid used psychic to control his speed, crouched against the wall, pushed back against it and himself cruising back at the Iron Armor Pokémon. It tried to meet him halfway with a Metal Claw but he was running on max Swords Dance and cleaved right through its arm, landing in a crouching stance beside it, legs spread on the floor, one arm in front of him to balance and the other extended at his side, blood staining the edge. The Aggron's eyes were wide, everything around it moving in slow motion as it saw its severed arm along with its blood flying in the air away from it. With an agonizing cry of desperation, it attacked with its remaining arm and Intrepid cut through that as well as he got up, arm raised in the aftermath of his brutal swing. He narrowed his eyes at the hopeless Aggron and used Close Combat, his powerful fists a blur as he absolutely pulverized its unprotected body, leaving multiple holes in its midsection from each devastating impact. With one last swing of his blade, he chopped off one of its horns which spun in the air and landed in his grip.

"Yoink. Souvenir." He smiled, a rather unfriendly one and finished things with a back kick that sent the defeated Aggron to the floor in a dusty heap, looking more like a wrecked trash can than a pokémon.

The victorious Gallade walked away from the fallen wild pokémon, twirling his proof of its defeat in his fingers and joined the spectating Smeargle at the other side of the room. Oscar looked up at him, speechless and Intrepid sighed in content.

"That felt good."

The Painter Pokémon just kept staring, not sure how to put the display of dominating strength he was exposed to into words. He wouldn't have to, since Intrepid spoke for the both of them.

"Sorry to keep you waiting. We should meet up with Gallant and Valor. They should be done by now aaaaand I should probably get these wounds looked at." He studied himself.

Oscar just nodded dumbly and Intrepid used Teleport to send them both back to the surface... Or would have if he wasn't alerted to more sounds, making him look back as the herd of Aron and Lairon came out of hiding and strutted toward the downed Aggron. For a moment, he thought they were going mourn its death but that wasn't the case. His head tilted in astonishment as they begun consuming it, its steel body breaking down and contorting audibly between their strong teeth and jaws. While that was happening, they also took the time to finish feasting on the Onix. Intrepid blinked a couple times and shook his head in wonder. The life of wild pokémon didn't look the least bit glamorous, not one bit and he inwardly thanked Lord Xerneas for the life he had. Silently, he used Teleport, for real this time.

* * *

XXX Seismic Highlands, at the same time XXX

Today was not the Tyaranitar's day. Deciding to instigate a skirmish with the strange looking white and green pokémon proved to be a grave mistake. Perhaps, if it battled with them one after the other, it might have had a better fighting chance but with the way things were, all it could do was count the minutes before its inevitable loss. It used Rock Polish to make itself faster, true but that didn't mean much when it had two pokémon to contend with. Their teamwork was impeccable, its body was riddled with cuts and bruises as evidence of its struggles against them. It recognized the attacks they were using as the fighting type, which promised nothing for its well-being. Rock was weak to fighting. Dark was weak to fighting. Tyranitar was both of the rock and dark types. There was no hope... But there was honor. These little rapscallions dared to trespass on its territory and it would not let them get away with it like the dragons from before. With a rekindled spirit, it gave a mighty roar and advanced with crushing footfalls.

Gallant and Valor stood side by side with a meter between them, delivering a withering look at the fast approaching Tyranitar. The only thing threatening about it was the Sandstorm it created, the dirt particles digging into their skin and making them feel slowly increasing fatigue. They weren't worried, though. They had proved for seven minutes straight that they could handle what was described to them as a powerful pokémon. Its attacks scorched the surrounding grass from when it used Fire Blast and its strikes cratered the earth when it got physical, sure but what did that mean when they had each other's backs and kept each other from getting hit?

The pair of Gallade leaped away from each other when the Armor Pokémon got in close proximity. Its first mistake was when it faced Valor, allowing Gallant to fire a crescent wave of purple energy at its feet from behind. It didn't hurt the dark type but the force when it impacted the ground under it made it wobble, an action that Valor took full advantage of, sprinting back when he touched down to deliver a jumping roundhouse kick against the side of its head. A piece of the rock type's natural armor went flying and blood splattered from its mouth. It tried to retaliate with a bludgeon of its arm but Gallant held it fast when it leaned back. The Tyranitar swung its arm anyway, Valor ducking down as Gallant was pitched high into the air. Acting on impulse, Valor teleported in front of his trajectory, grabbed his arm, made a full revolution around from his flight speed and tossed him back at the antagonistic rock type. The Tyranitar blinked in surprise and held up its arms in a block. With speed he was going and force behind his attack, Gallant's punch resulted in one of the rock type's arms getting broken, cracks forming along the damaged limb. It grunted in pain and lurched forward with a Crunch and the Gallade held up his left arm to protect the more vital parts of his body. The dark type's teeth clamped down hard and never let go, making Gallant wince as he felt its teeth penetrate the softer part of his arm. The Tyranitar raised its head and lifted Gallant with it, flailing him around with shakes of its head, intending to rip his arm off. Gallant threw punch after punch into its neck and shoulder but it wouldn't let go. Just when things looked dire, Valor rushed in from its left side and sheathed his entire blade into its body.

The wild pokémon roared in pain, the sound hurting the Blade Pokémon's ears but also releasing Gallant from its hold. Pissed beyond belief, Gallant delivered a drop kick to the blue section of its body that actually knocked it off its feet and it hit the once lovely looking grassland. Valor pulled his bloodied blade out of its would at the same time and used the opportunity the buff himself with Swords Dance while Gallant nursed his arm. The Tyranitar recovered with a grimace, its resilience commendable. Scowling at the annoying fighting types, the Armor Pokémon inhaled, the back of its throat glowing and expelled a stream of flames. Gallant teleported in front of his partner and used Protect, the flames diverting around the barrier and protecting Valor who continued to use Swords Dance. When the flames flittered to nothing, the Tyranitar raised a foot and with all its might, stomped it into the ground, an expanding shockwave tearing up the terrain.

"Valor! It's using Earthquake!"

"On it!"

Valor flipped over his fellow Blade Pokémon and slammed his hands onto the surface of the field. Not second late, a transparent purple barrier rose up and stretched to either side of him, the Wide Guard nullifying the Earthquake completely. Gallant used Teleport to vanish and appear in front of the Tyranitar. He reared a fist back and the rock type grabbed him by the face. Guess if he was going to Teleport, a blind spot would have been a preferable approach. The Tyraniter narrowed its eyes and started squeezing, hoping to crush the Gallade's skull. Gallant wasn't having it, kicking up with one of his legs and breaking the rock type's elbow at the joint. It winced and was forced to let go, Gallant taking full advantage of its stunned state and knocked it back with a practiced flying kick. It staggered but didn't fall, Valor zooming in with a shoulder tackle that made it lose balance and struggle on one leg, Gallant sprinting onward, using Low Sweep and breaking its knee, sending it collapsing onto its belly. Valor pressed on with the assisted assault, vaulting himself airborne and striking its face with a crushing drop kick backed by Swords Dance that sent it plummeting onto its back. Its vision was hazy and the last thing it saw before everything went black was Gallant springing into its vision, extended blade pointing down and crashing into its chest, skewering its heart. Finished, Gallant got up whilst retracting his blade and joined his friend, the Sandstorm around them subsiding. Panting, exhausted and very proud of themselves, the two Blade Pokémon shared a high five.

"Awesome." Gallant breathed out.

"Right?"

Gallant winced and held his aching arm. "Say..."

"Yeah?"

"Could you give me a hand with this?" Gallant raised his hurt arm. "I, uh, I don't want Angel to lecture me again."

"That silent girlfriend of yours?"

"Not my girlfriend."

"You're expressing worry about what she might think of what you look like and you just said she lectured you. Not to mention the amount of time you spend with each other."

"Trust me when I say Sylvia fills that role better than I ever could."

"Really? Sorry to hear that, brother. That must suck for you."

"Can you please heal my arm? It really hurts."

"Yeah, yeah." Valor held his arm and used Heal Pulse to fix it up, good as new. "Better?"

Gallant sighed in relief. "Much better, thanks."

"You're welcome." Valor smiled. "Now all we have to do is wait for-"

"I'm back!" Intrepid hugged Valor from behind out of nowhere. "Miss me?"

"Loads." Valor rolled his eyes with a smile and with Intrepid's presence, he remembered something important. "Hold up! Where's Mr. Oscar? Is he..?"

"Right there." Intrepid faced Valor's head down at the Smeargle. The normal type was cupping his chin with his hand in the classic thinking position, deep in his own mind that he never focused on anything else. "He's fine."

Valor nodded, glad their client was well and good. Gallant looked at Intrepid still cuddling up to Valor and noticed the short, sharp, pointed shaft of metal in his grip.

"What do you have there, Intrepid? Some kind of weapon?"

"This thing? It's the horn of something called an Aggron." He projected its appearance into their minds, before and after he was done with it. "I'm keeping this as a trophy. You know. Show it to Edge. Make him proud of me."

"Woah... Damn, dude, you really did a number on it." Gallant commented.

"I could say the same. That's one less Tayranitah, or however you pronounce its name, that we have to worry about."

"Not to mention one less 'Aggron,' free of charge."

"With interest of one asshole Onix."

They started laughing among themselves, Oscar watching it all as his frown of contemplation curled up into happy smile. For all their strength and gusto, they really were just idealistic youngsters that shared a meaningful bond. He chuckled to himself a little before clearing his throat and addressing them.

"A job well done, Psychic Blades. You have my thanks and the thanks of the Seismic Highlands."

"Don't mention it." Intrepid beamed. "Sorry about your wasted expedition. I mean, we did what we could but this field still looks pretty acceptable and none too devastated."

"Is that a joke?"

"It is."

"Well, heh, no need to worry about that anymore. I just got an idea for a different painting. My bag, please?"

"Sure."

Valor handed Oscar his bag and the Smeargle removed his drawing pad from it, only instead of drawing, he jotted something down in it and placed it back in his bag when he was done, after which he smiled up at the Gallade.

"Mission accomplished. We can leave any time you're ready."

The Blade Pokémon straightened themselves and nodded. Focusing for just a moment, they teleported themselves and their client out of the Seismic Highlands and returned to their starting point.

* * *

XXX Pokémon Settlement - Guild Collaboration Building XXX

The three Kecleon behind the counter were minding their own business when a distortion in the space in front of them appeared, heralding a bright flash and leaving behind four pokémon they recognized. One of them, the Smeargle, trotted up to the counter and dropped the remainder of the job's payment on the wooden surface, having made the down payment when he requested the job the day before. The Kecleon accepted the sack of money graciously, smiles and all.

"You've returned." The one on the left spoke. "I take it all went well?"

"Very well, thank you." Oscar replied. "Thank you for your services, Guild Collaboration." He turned around and bowed. "And thank you for yours, Psychic Blades. I wish you well in your future endeavors. Until next time."

The Gallade bowed politely and watched him leave the building. Then they rose up and faced the Kecleon who had a bag consisting of three Nuggets just for them.

"The job pays a little over one Big Nugget and we figured to change it down since there's three of you." He pushed the bag away from himself and Valor picked it up. "Congratulations on your first ever completed job, Psychic Blades. Enjoy your reward."

If there were any other pokémon in the area sensitive to emotions, they would have immediately taken notice of the three youths brimming with pride and happiness, barely able to keep themselves from smiling as they walked out of the building with their spoils. Once outside, they faced each other and engaged in a three way high five.

"YES!"

Their childish antics drew the attention of some passing pokémon but they didn't care, continuing to express their joy.

"So, what next?" Valor asked.

"I say we head home." Intrepid replied, stretching his arms and yawning. "It's been a long day. We've been out there since morning and the sun's starting to set. How about we call it a day?"

"Sounds good. Gallant?"

"I'm all for it. But, uh... Can we make one last stop before we leave?"

"Yeah. Sure, why not?"

Valor and Intrepid escorted their friend down the street to his desired stop.

* * *

XXX Fairy Realm, evening - Secluded Spot XXX

Sylvia and Angel faced each other from across the flat, circular stone, upon which lay crumbs of previously existing poképuffs. Angel had won the last round and now it was Sylvia's turn to try her luck at their game, using carefully picked questions to guide herself to the correct answer of what Angel was thinking.

"Is it an item?" The Sylveon asked.

"No."

"A pokémon?"

"No."

"An ability?"

"Yes."

"Affected by Sunlight?"

"No."

"Affected by Hail?"

"No."

"Affected by Sandstorm?"

"No."

"Affected by Rain?"

"No."

"Nuts, I wasted four questions when I could have just asked if it was affected by weather, overall."

"True."

"Anyway... Does it inflict status?"

"Yes."

"On contact?"

"Yes."

"As a counter?"

"Yes."

"Is it Static?"

"No."

"Cute Charm?"

"Yes!"

"Hah! Eight questions to spare!" Sylvia did a little dance and blinked in realization after a moment of silence. "Hey, that's my ability!"

"It is."

"Awwwww. I appreciate it, Angel."

"Yeah, well, the previous answer you gave me was 'Kirlia' and one of the clues you offered was that 'it's cute.'" Angel's cheeks turned pink.

"And it is." She grinned. "By the way, how do you do that?"

"Do what?"

"That." Sylvia pointed at her cheeks with one of her delicate, prehensile ribbons. "You told me that the Ralts line don't have blood flowing through their systems, right? So how are you doing that?"

"It's pigment."

"Pigment? You're kidding me. That's a lame answer."

"It's the best answer I can give you." Angel shrugged. "The inner workings of most Amorphous pokémon either complicated or non-existent."

"You don't look that complicated to me, Angel."

"Um... Thanks?"

"You're welcome!" Sylvia walked around the stone and sat near her closest friend. "Now that that's out of the way, give me my reward."

Sylvia happily lied back and Angel smiled, crawling forward and rubbing her friend's belly. Sylvia expressed her enjoyment by involuntarily kicking one of her feet.

"Aaaaahhhh~ That's the stuff." The Intertwining Pokémon closed her eyes.

The Kirlia giggled. "What are you? A canine pokémon?"

"And a vulpine. And a feline. With a pinch of vermin." She started purring.

"That combination is so unnatural."

"I don't know how I- Aaahh, a little lower, please... I don't know how I feel about being told that by an Amorphous pokémon."

"Point taken."

"Do you enjoy belly rubs?"

"I can't say I do."

"What if I rubbed your horns?"

"Don't ever do that. They're still developing and are really sensitive."

"You do realize your error in telling me that?"

"...I mean it, Sylvia, you better not."

Sylvia stood up and lowered her stance like she was about to attack her friend, smirking like a cruel predator.

"Seriously, Sylvia." Angel stood and fearfully backed away. "I won't forgive you! Stay away! Kya!"

Angel tried to run but Sylvia pounced on her and pinned her down. Then, she started licking the Emotion Pokémon's horns.

"Yeeeeeeek! S-Sylvia! Cut it out! I-It feels weird!" She tried to escape but the Sylveon was heavier than her.

"Does it hurt?"

"N-No but-"

"Good enough for me!" Sylvia continued her assault.

"Kyaaaaa! Ah! Y-You better get off, Syl-" She shivered and stifled a cry when she felt a long drag from her playful friend's slimy tongue. "I'm warning you!"

"Nope."

"Last chance, Sylvia!"

"Nope."

Eyes glowing, Angel glared at her close friend dangerously and used her psychokinesis to suspend her in the air.

"Wha? Hey! Check me out! Believe it or not, I'm walking on air!"

Angel panted as she got up on shaky legs and fixed the ribbon around her horn, all the while maintaining Sylvia in the air.

"H-Have you gone insane!?" She demanded, arms rigid at her sides.

"No. Why do you ask?" Sylvia kicked her legs, enjoying her time in mid air.

"You better not do that again."

"No promises, cutie."

"Sylvia-"

"I'm kidding. I won't do it again, alright? I promise. Could you put me down now? This has gotten old fast, there's nothing to do up here."

"...No."

"What?"

"Not 'till you learn your lesson."

"Oh, gee whiz, sorry, Mom." Sylvia sarcastically replied. "There, I apologized, now put me down."

"No."

"Angel, come ooooooonnnnn!" The suspended pokémon started flailing in protest.

"Doesn't feel great, does it?" Angel smirked triumphantly and played with her 'hair.'

"Wow. Never would I have guessed that you were this petty."

"You rubbed off on me."

"Oh, nonononono. You are not making this my fault, girl."

"This is all happening because of you, so..."

"Put me down or I'll scream in three, two, whaaaaa!" Sylvia was suddenly released and she expertly landed on her feet in spite of the initial shock of being dropped without warning.

The two glared at each other, inflating their cheeks rudely before snickering and erupting in joyous laughter. This is the scene Gallant walked in on, casually carrying his bag over his shoulder.

"Good to see you two getting along swimmingly as always." He quipped.

The female pokémon turned to him with surprise, being caught off guard but offering the Gallade smiles when they identified him.

"You're back."

"I'm back."

"You're filthy." Angel observed.

"Sandstorms do that to you." He joined them and sat down.

"What the heck were you doing in a Sandstorm?" Sylvia asked with a tilt of her head.

"Fighting a strong wild pokémon and keeping it from going on a rampage in the Seismic Highlands as per our client's wishes."

"Listen to you. Sounds to me like you were in your element. Did you have fun?"

"You know it."

"Won't the dust make you sick if you do nothing about it?" Angel pressed her concern.

"I'll have someone use Rain Dance for me later." He fell back and lied down on the soft grass. "Let me relax for now."

"Why don't you learn Rain Dance for yourself?"

"I don't have any moves or abilities that would benefit from rain."

"And other pokémon here do?"

"Please, please, pleeeaaase, let me rest, you guys... It's been a long day." He closed his eyes.

"Sure looks like it." Sylvia sat next to him. "Did you get paid for your work?"

"We did, yeah."

"...Did you buy us gifts?"

"No."

"Boooooo, Gallant." Sylvia droned.

He sat up and pulled out a transparent plastic sack of hard candy from his bag. "I did buy you guys sweets, though."

"We love you, Gallant!"

"Right through your stomach, huh?" The Blade Pokémon chuckled and placed the sack on the flat rock. "Help yourselves."

So they did, Angel eating one at a time and Sylvia gorging herself until she couldn't fit anymore in her mouth.

"Thank you, Gallant." Angel expressed her gratitude.

"Thanks, Gallant!" And so did Sylvia with a mouthful of treats.

"No problem. Eat up. You should get used to it."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?" The Kirlia stared at him quizzically.

"The other reason I'm here and not in the Training Hold with the others. Now that I'm a part of the settlement, I can finally realize our shared dream. I've had my taste of it and now it's your turn."

Slightly confused, the female pokémon watched him stand up and grin saucily at them.

"Angel, Sylvia, my lovely ladies..." He extended his arm at them like the gentlemon he was. "Kindly allow me to be your escort in touring the Pokémon Settlement tomorrow. What do you say?"

Slowly, the young female pokémon's eyes widened as the realization of what he was getting at hit them like a Snorlax using Body Slam. They gaped at him and he winked at them. He was seriously offering to take them to the Pokémon Settlement, no strings attached. Even after his new life begun, he never forgot about their own desires and was giving them the opportunity to indulge in them. What could they say to that?

"YES!"

Duh. It was obvious.

* * *

XXX Spectral Forest - Night XXX

Dead trees. Dead pokémon. Dying morale. The Spectral Forest was truly the most sullen place in the world, infested with the vengeful spirits of pokémon whose lives were taken from them and constantly attempting to get back at the realm where their tormentor once lived before he was banished. One of said pokémon, a Duskull, shrieked in pain as it was knocked away and slammed against a tree, where it died a second time, exploding into a black mist.

"Scum." The Gourgeist responsible for its demise scowled and flexed her fingers.

"You're on fire today." A Gengar commented.

"You mistake me for Infernus." Wiccan turned around and started walking back to the Ghost Realm.

The Chandelure, Infernus, laughed a little at Wiccan's joke. "Good one."

Wiccan didn't respond, walking on in silence. She, Infernus and Scourge had been battling for the past hour, keeping the active ghost pokémon from getting anywhere near their home. This was something they had to do on a daily basis to keep the Ghost Realm from being overrun and had long since become desensitized to it. Done with their shift, they would be rotating with another group and so on until morning, where the wild ghost types were least active. Scourge floated up next to Wiccan in support and tried to strike up a conversation with her.

"How are you holding up?"

"What kind of dumbass question is that?"

"I'm just trying to keep our spirits up, Wiccan... Get it?" The perpetual grin on the Gengar's visage didn't help him win points with the Gourgeist.

"You're wasting your time, Scourge." Infernus hovered close to his fellow ghost.

"The both of you just need to lighten up a little. It wouldn't do well for us to fall into despair. Not while we're in this situation."

"We're already in despair, Scourge." Wiccan frowned, the grass type staring ahead with her visible eye, the other hidden behind a flock of her 'hair.' "I don't know what kind of hope you keep clinging to. It's bad enough that we're forced to fight for our lives every night but we also ended up losing our Soul Stone."

"Our Soul Stone will be found. We put up a job at the Guild Collaboration."

"Months ago. No one is going to help us." She clenched her fingers. "Ever since Lord Giratina did what he did, every other pokémon have been wary of us. The ghost type has forever been condemned as a symbol anarchy. It would be nice to be back under his protection but that won't happen. We'll just keep fighting until the end of our lifelines. That's all there is to this situation and it would be better if you just got used to it."

"Calm down, Wiccan, we-"

"Don't tell me to calm down, Scourge!" She snarled.

Her outburst got the attention of a Misdreavous that jumped out of some bushes with a chilling shout. Its confidence went from one hundred to zero in an instant when Wiccan snatched it out of the air without even looking at it and started squeezing its head in one hand. She looked at it in fury before her mood haphazardly switched to mournful.

"You poor thing..." She squeezed down harder and it started making pained grunts. "Everything was taken from you. I bet you had a family. Friends. Maybe even a mate." She added more force around its head and it screamed in agony. "Life must have been good. Now you're nothing more than a sorry reminder of your past existence. All you can do is lash out at the pokémon under the thrall of your murderer. Kind of makes you want to laugh, doesn't it? Heheheh..."

The other two pokémon watched the Gourgeist break into mirthless laughter and squeeze down hard enough to rapture its body, leaving nothing behind except for a dark miasma. She grinned coldly and continued along the route to her home. Scourge and Infernus looked at each other briefly and quietly followed the disturbed Wiccan. Nothing they could do or say would ever save her from her dwindling sanity.

* * *

XXX Steel Realm - Night XXX

Sovereign stood steady in front of a large, liquid-filled glass cylinder fixed in the centre of a circular room. Computers at the far end of the room beeped with complicated readings and diagrams, information only brilliant minds like himself would understand. In the centre of the tank, a fetus lay unmoving, developing in vitro and infused with Mew's blood to help influence its growth pattern, glad that the specimen didn't reject it. Truth be told, Sovereign felt more like he was playing with toy building blocks with the way he was handling his test tube infant. However, the proof of his success was right in front of him, growing healthily over a probable long period of time, its gestation period something he could only guess at for the time being.

The electronic door behind him opened and closed, signifying another occupant in the room.

"Reporting back from my rounds, Sovereign."

The Metagross didn't respond, observing the glass cylinder intently.

Krane sighed is exasperation and moved closer to the steel type. "You've been eyeing that thing since it started growing, sir. It wouldn't hurt you to rest a little while, nothing will happen to it in your absence."

Choosing to remain stationary, Sovereign spoke. "I do not require sleep, Krane. Besides, what could I possibly dream of when we already have everything we could ask for?"

"The electric type, Mareep, perhaps?"

"I'm a pokemon, not a machine, Krane but that reference is spot on. Well done."

"Thank you, sir." Neither of them laughed and the Skarmory walked up next to his boss, joining him in viewing the specimen.

"Isn't it remarkable, Krane?"

"I'll say it is." The steel bird replied. "You must be feeling elated about being the only pokémon besides Arceus to create a Legendary Pokémon."

"Indeed." Sovereign smiled as best as he could. A short silence fell in the room until Krane spoke his mind again.

"If I may ask..."

"Yes?"

"The thing that happened the other day... How did your machines identify all those Legendary Pokémon when you were testing Mew's blood? There's no way you could have their biological readings on record."

"Ah, yes. The records of those pokémon were, in reality, manually entered by our research department based on what they understood about them and were, in fact, incomplete. The perfect sample of Mew's blood provided just enough data to complete their registration. I was just as shocked as you were, Krane. That Mew is the single building block of all pokémonkind. Admirable, is it not?"

"I'll admit. It's a pretty remarkable thing to bare witness to..."

Krane watched in silence as bubbles rose to the top of the liquid-filled glass casing, the fabricated pokémon floating at the centre, unmoving. He looked down at Sovereign whose attention was utterly captured by what was before him, his red eyes unblinking. Krane exhaled and turned to leave, his talons clanging on the metal floor. Just before he reached the door, he addressed the Iron Leg Pokémon one last time.

"By the way, Sovereign, sir... What happened to your last project? Have you dropped it altogether in favor of this one?"

"No need to worry about a thing, Krane. That project is still in its early stages and will only take off when we find a sufficient specimen. Until then, it's on a temporary hiatus."

"...I see. Thank you." Krane left him to it, stepping forward and the automated doors sliding open to allow him through.

"Krane."

The beckoned Skarmory stopped in the door frame, attentive yet not looking back.

"Sir?"

"Goodnight."

"...Goodnight, sir."

Krane walked out of the room and the doors slid closed behind him, leaving Sovereign isolated with the object of his interests. He continued to observe it, unmoving, unwavering and unblinking.

* * *

END CHAPTER

 


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